The Konoha University Chronicles
by Gallade
Summary: An AU in which Naruto characters are not ninja - they're college students! Hilarity ensues and characters develop in a series of short stories and snapshots. Each character gets their own chapter! Akatsuki members are included, too! The rating of each chapter varies, but the story is rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1: Welcome to Konoha University!

**Hello all of you lovely readers!**

**I present to you: The Konoha University chronicles! This takes place in an AU where the Naruto characters are not ninja, they're college students!**

**I had this idea when I was thinking about what each Naruto character would major in if they went to school, and then each of these ideas popped into my head! Every chapter (except for the first two) will be centering around a different character and the various situations they get into.**

**As such, each chapter will have a different rating, genre, etc. Some are longer than others, and some are short little snippets. I'm not publishing them as separate stories because they go together. **

**This first one is just a general intro to the characters (what they major in, what activities they do, their relationships to other students, etc.), but told through a narrative.**

**Anyways, thank you for reading! Please enjoy :) This chapter is told from Sakura's point of view.**

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><p>Chapter 1: Welcome to Konoha University!<p>

...

"What? No!"

I roll my eyes as I listen to my roommate's overly dramatic phone conversation. When Ino gets into her girl-talk over the phone, it's like she reverts back to her days of being a stereotypical 'popular' high school girl.

...Even though we're sophomores in college.

It's enough to make me sick.

Sure, Ino's my best friend, but sometimes (like tonight) she gets to be a little much. It's past 11:00 PM right now and she's currently having a loud squealy phone conversation with some girl she knows from her hometown.

"Ino, could you keep it down a little?" I whisper loudly. I hate being the person who interrupts a phone call, but I'm trying to work on something and it's getting really hard to concentrate. I'm currently hunched over my laptop and furiously typing up a lab report, but I'm also dressed in super comfy sweat pants and all I want to do is keel over and sleep. "It's late and I want to finish this thing and get to bed."

Ino giggles obnoxiously and covers the receiver of the phone as she looks over at me. The look she's giving me is apologetic and I know she doesn't mean to bug me. She mouths something unintelligible before returning to her conversation. "Yeah! Mhm, I know, right? Oh my god, I know! I know! _I know_!"

I roll my eyes again and set my laptop down on the bed beside me. I seriously don't feel like doing this anymore and I'm frustrated. It's late, dammit! Am I a bad person for wanting her to be a little more considerate?

I lay down on my bed just forcefully enough to make the mattress springs protest audibly. When that gets no reaction out of her, I respond by pulling a pillow over my face and groaning. I hope she gets the message. (Okay, maybe I'm being a little too passive-aggressive, but I can blame it on sleep-deprivation, right? I'm a pre-med student and a biochemistry major and my patience is running pretty thin at the moment.)

"Uh-huh. Listen, girl, I gotta go. It's getting late."

There's a pause in the conversation and I listen hopefully. Maybe she's finally done!

"Noooo! Wait, really? Oh I feel for ya! But really, I miss you! We should sooooo hang out when I get home! Love ya! Mwah!"

Ugh. Barf.

She finally hangs up the phone and sighs.

I sit up, irritation taking a backseat to my curiosity. "So... who was this girl again?"

Ino flips a wrist and shrugs. "My best friend from high school. I'm not actually going to hang out with her, that's just something you say to your old friends when you don't want to hang out with them anymore but you don't want them to hate you."

I frown at her. "Isn't that a little... fake?"

"Well yeah, but it's like some unspoken part of girl code. You make vague plans you have no intention of keeping just so you can keep your old 'friends' in your life."

I know it's better to just nod and shrug than to try and understand Ino's convoluted preppy girl logic.

"Anyways, whatcha workin' on?" Ino asks, getting up from her bed and walking over to her dresser.

I wearily look at the laptop sitting on the bed next to me. "Oh, I was working on my lab writeup for anatomy and physiology, that's all. It's not due tomorrow though, and I don't think I can take any more work for the night."

She rifles through her dresser and pulls out a set of lavender silk pajamas. "Weren't you just working on a lab writeup the other night?"

"We have lab writeups due every week and I also have organic chemistry to do."

I just _had_ to go and pick one of the most work-intensive majors out there, didn't I?

"Ahhh," Ino says in understanding, getting dressed for bed.

It's okay, though. For all of the (silent) complaining I might do, I don't even need to remind myself that I love it. I want to be a nurse or a medic, and biology and chemistry are fascinating. I just wish the coursework wasn't so stressful. It seems like I'm always working on things and everyone else around me has free time.

"So are you almost ready for lights out?" Ino asks, sitting on her bed.

I arch my back and lazily turn onto my stomach, moving my laptop to the floor beside my bed. I'm not going to get any more work done tonight, and sleep is most important at the moment. "I'm ready if you're ready."

I wait for her to turn out the light because the switch is on her side of the room, but she doesn't move.

She looks like she's thinking or that she's going to say something. The gears are turning in her head and it's written all over her face.

"…You know who I think is hot?" she asks finally. There it is: the question I knew she was going to ask. Ino often likes to talk about boys and she thinks she needs to set me up with people because I don't have nearly as many romantic encounters as she does. This kind of conversation is to be expected by now.

I smile and let out a one-syllable laugh. "Who?"

"Sasuke Uchiha."

I make a face. "Ino..."

Ino looks at her me in disbelief. "Oh come _on_! How can you think that man isn't totally hunky?"

"Yeah, he's attractive, but he's also a complete douche, Ino. Plus he tries way too hard to be a 'bad boy' with all of his piercings and stuff. I think his brother Itachi is hotter."

Ino widens her eyes and I immediately regret giving her another guy to critique. I'm tired, right? I can't get into girly gossip sessions at 11:30 at night!

"Oh you know, you're absolutely right!" Ino says. "Not about Sasuke, I mean, but about his brother! He's a totally sexilicious senior."

I prop myself up on my elbows, chuckling a little. Maybe a little talk about guys can't hurt.

"I don't know if 'sexilicious' is the right word, but he certainly is a lot more pleasant than his younger brother," I say.

Ino follows my lead and props herself up on her elbows as well. "Oh yeah, forehead? Well tell me, then. Who do _you_ think is sexilicious?"

"Ugh Ino, I would never use that word seriously. Ever. It's too... _juvenile_."

She looks shocked. "Well there's gotta be _someone_ who gets under your skin! I'm just going to start listing names until I find out who it is."

"Ino, please…" I say with a sigh. "I don't have a crush on anyone in particular. Yeah, there are tons of good-looking guys in our huge group of friends, but I mean..."

She looks delighted at the prospect of setting me up on a date with someone. The thought makes me shudder.

"Hmm... How about Naruto? Kiba? Ooooh Kiba's hot... Um, Shikamaru? Choji? OOH, what d-"

She rattles off a list of names and I immediately hold my hands up in the air. "Whoaa, okay, slow down a little," I say. She's starting to talk way too fast and I seriously can't answer all of those questions in rapid-succession. "You know, I'm gonna start asking what you think of them too."

She nods. "Fair enough."

I look at the floor thoughtfully. "Hmm... Naruto is cute. I like his smile and his eyes and how friendly he is."

"I agree," Ino sighs. "That boy just has a way of making me feel like I've known him forever. Everyone loves him."

"Sooo Ino-pig, what do you think of Kiba, then?" I ask, following the order of the list of our friends she named.

Ino sighs dreamily again. "What a babe. That guy is smokin' hot. He's athletic and smart and he loves animals. AND he sings! I don't think you could make a more perfect man if you tried."

I give a little chuckle. I can't help but agree with her. "The boy _is_ pretty darn attractive," I say. "Like an 8 out of 10. I'd give him a higher score if he didn't smell like dog and if he wasn't such a... well, he can be a real pain in chemistry class sometimes, but Shika and I need him."

Her eyes widen delightedly at my slip-of-the-tongue and I immediately regret it. "Ooh, 'Shika?'" she laughs at the nickname. "So what do you think about '_Shika_,' then?"

I can feel myself blushing a little. "Oh stop it, Ino. He's just a friend and we're in a lot of classes together, that's all," I explain.

Sometimes I call him because I know it gets on his nerves and it's fun to mess with him. Ino thinks it means something else.

"Well I grew up with the lazy butt-munch, and I wanna hear what you think of him!" She says, raising her voice excitedly. That's right, Ino _did_ grow up with Shikamaru and his roommate, Choji.

I carefully choose my words, not wanting Ino to pry any deeper. "I think I'd find him sexier if he wasn't so lazy," I say. "I'll admit though, it's kinda cute. Plus the long hair and ear piercings and the brains are what make him attractive."

Ino nods enthusiastically. "Intelligence really gets me."

"Why, pig, because you lack it?" I tease.

"Watch it, billboard-brow; I _am_ smart!"

"Oh _please_, you're such a blonde sometimes and you know it."

"Oh shut up."

I laugh softly and sigh. "You know I'm only kidding, piglet. So... your thoughts on Choji?"

She smirks guiltily and avoids eye contact. "Well I don't know..."

I narrow my eyes at her and smile knowingly. She's suddenly putting on the shy act and I know she's not telling me something. I've suspected for a very long time now that there's chemistry between Ino and Choji, but neither of them have done anything about it. "Oh come on..."

Ino brings her hands to her cheeks and smiles shyly. "Ah fine. I think he's sorta... kinda..."

"Spill it."

"I think he's adorable," Ino blurts. "I mean, everyone used to tease him for being chubby but I think it's... cute."

Bingo! My suspicions are confirmed and I'm honestly surprised it took her this long to admit it to me. She's usually so up-front about this kind of thing and I'm always the first to hear who she likes.

Ino sits up in her bed and looks at me eagerly, crossing her legs pretzel-style. I can feel a looming sense of dread. She's not ready to sleep yet. I encouraged the boy-gossip too much.

She clasps her hands together excitedly. "So?"

"So what?" I ask reluctantly.

"So what other guys do you think are attractive?" She asks.

"Ino, it's late..." I tell her.

"How about the guys that live in the same dorm building as Kiba and Naruto?" She asks again, ignoring my plea for sleep.

Fine, I'll entertain this conversation for a little longer. I'm already sleep deprived enough as it is, so how bad can it be if I lose a little more sleep? (Hint: really bad).

"You mean Shino?" I ask. "And Lee and -"

Ino gasps really loudly and covers her mouth with her hands. "And Lee's roommate Sai?! God I think that man is dreamy," she interjects.

Here we go again. "Okay, for one, Shino is weird and hides behind sunglasses all the time. He's also obsessed with bugs. Lee is dating Tenten, so I'm not even going to say what I think of him. Sai is an interesting character, that's for sure," I list in order.

Ino's still clearly lost in her own little dream world and I'm not sure she heard anything I said. She's still stuck on Sai. "He's so amazing... He called me gorgeous one time and he's got these magnificent abs."

"…And he's socially awkward and sickeningly pale and doesn't know how to treat people," I say bluntly.

Sai's got a good heart and he means well, but seriously I speak from experience. I know him well enough to say that with confidence.

Ino shakes her head from side to side in denial. "But he's _learning_! He's a sociology minor!"

"And…? Ino, the guy is almost clueless when it comes to social interaction. Yes, he's attractive on the outside, but he can be so rude sometimes."

I almost tell her about how Sai says the opposite of what he thinks, but I hold back. There's absolutely no use in starting an argument this late at night. I can barely get this whole boy conversation under control as it is.

"Poor Temari," I say, changing the subject slightly. "These walls are paper-thin and she's stuck hearing us talk about guys at midnight."

Temari lives right next to us and though I'm sure she's used to Ino's loudness by now, it's still a good point to make. We have to be considerate.

Ino's eyes light up and I know I haven't derailed the conversation any. Sigh.

"Do you think she'd want to join in!?" Ino cries.

"That would be a no, Ino."

"Aww... Oh! What about her brothers?!"

I give her a 'what the hell?' look. "What_ about_ them? They live downstairs and I'm absolutely sure neither of them wants to talk about cute guys."

Ino looks at me, exasperated. "No, I meant to ask what you think of them!"

I almost slap a hand to my forehead. Bringing up Temari was supposed to stop this boy thing and it only ended up adding fuel to the debate. "Ino, please, it's getting pretty late."

"So?"

I groan. Clearly she's not going to drop it until we discuss nearly every male we know.

"Okay, fine." I sigh. If the only way out of this is to go along with it, then I'll comply. If I resist, it'll only be longer before I can get some precious sleep. "You know I like having Gaara as a friend and doing homework with him," I say. "He's nice and quiet."

"That's not what I meant! What about their looks?" Ino asks.

Ughhhh. "Ino…" I sigh.

"Come on! Don't you think Gaara's red hair and tattoo and ear piercings are hot?! And come on... He wears eyeliner! Talk about badass."

"Fine, Ino. Yeah, I think he's pretty darn good-looking. And so is Kankuro."

"Ew, really? Sakura, the guy likes face paint and dolls! He's a junior for crying out loud and he plays with dolls."

Okay, now she's just being rude (as if she wasn't being rude _before_ she insulted Kankuro).

"Have you ever seen him without the face paint?" I ask, gesturing here and there. "He looks good. And they're not_ dolls_, they're puppets. He's a massage therapy and theater double major! Of course he's going to work with props and puppets!"

Ino is frowning slightly, her gaze focused on her toes. She's wiggling them back and forth and analyzing her nail polish from the looks of it. "Mmm you know? You're right. He also wears eyeliner..." she says.

I nod. "Yeah, he does."

"Mm theater guys are actually pretty hot, come to think of it."

"Ino please, can I just get to sleep already?"

"What's that one guy's name... Those guys that hang out with Sasuke's brother..."

I frown. Ino's really not making much sense. Sometimes I wonder if she realizes how much she jumps around from one subject to another.

"Who, Itachi's roommate?" I ask. "Kisame is a marine biologist, not a theater guy."

She gasps dramatically. "Ew, Kisame is_ gross_. No, the other guys! The redhead and blonde... Umm... Oh! Sasori and Deidara!"

"I happen to _like_ Kisame," I say matter-of-factly. "He's a really nice goofy guy once you get to know him. Plus he's on the swim team."

"Sakura likes the fish boy," Ino teases. I don't regret defending Kisame, but I don't want her turning everything into an accusation of affection.

"Ino, stop it," I say calmly. I hope my lack of a defensive tone shows her that I'm being serious. "He's just in the biology department like I am, that's all."

"Fine... So, how about Sasori? Deidara?"

"Deidara looks suspiciously like a male version of you, Ino. He's got the long blonde bangs and ponytail and everything. And he's an art and theater double major."

Ino gasped. "Do you think he's _gay_?" She asks, sounding excited. "Because he and his roommates are kinda hot. Mmm… imagine if all three of them were into each other…"

"Ino, stop it. Just because they like art and theater and happen to look kinda feminine does NOT mean they're gay!"

"Sasori is a cutie," Ino says dreamily. "And he's so good at acting and making props."

"You know, he _also_ has puppets."

"SHH! Those are minor details!"

"Oh, so puppets are okay for Sasori but not for Kankuro?"

"Oh hush."

I take the opportunity to stop conversing. "Well, goodnight then."

"...What about their roommate?" Ino continues, blatantly ignoring me. "Don't they live in a triple?"

I groan. "Ino, _please_, I have to get up bright and early tomorrow. Can I get some sleep?"

"Oh fine, forehead. You're such a killjoy sometimes," Ino grumbles.

"Am not."

"Well, then who's the other guy they live with?" She asks. It's like she thinks that my answer will prove that I'm not a killjoy. "The one with the silver hair..."

"Hidan?" I mumble, hoping she can see that I'm clearly not amused.

She snaps her fingers in realization and looks at me with widened eyes. "Yeah! The one with purple eyes and the hot body. Hidan's his name!"

Now she's just being silly. It's really late and I'm sure tiredness has gotten to the both of us. Hidan might be really good looking, but surely she can't be focusing on looks alone. "Hidan is really loud and obnoxious," I say.

"He's also a swimmer, you know."

My patience is running really thin. I don't know why I'm as irritated as I am, but I feel like a short fuse right now. She's ignoring personality traits in favor of looks.

"Do you even pay attention to anything but looks?" I blurt. "The guy can be incredibly rude and all you care about is the fact that he swims."

Ino looks at me in shock. "God forehead, no need to be rude," she shoots at me.

I frown and stare at the ceiling. Great. I'm the one who's losing sleep and now my roommate is mad at _me_? Okay, well I _was_ a bit rude. I'm not usually this way and I know I shouldn't be taking my stress out on my best friend.

"Ino... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap," I say sincerely. I'm tired but now I care more about making sure Ino knows I didn't mean it.

"It's whatever, Sakura. Let's just get to sleep." Ino says in a flat tone of voice. She gets up and turns out the light.

I put my hands over my face and sigh. Ino's upset.

A few minutes of silence pass in the darkness, and the more and more I think about it, the more I realize that I shouldn't have gotten so impatient with her. She was really only trying to have a harmless conversation about guys and I _was_ being a killjoy. I should have been more willing to go along with it.

"Ino?" I ask tentatively, hoping that she's still awake.

"Yeah?"

Oh good, she's not asleep yet. I have a chance to reconcile with her and I know just how to do it.

"Well, Neji is pretty hot..." I say.

…

In the dark of the room, Sakura couldn't see Ino smile.

But the blonde _did_ smile, and Sakura's attempt at appeasement had worked.

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><p><strong>So, what did you think? :) I promise it gets better around the third chapter. As always, please feel free to comment and critique, but don't be rude. Also, suggestions are welcome! I've already got twenty-one chapters figured out, but if you get an idea for a new chapter surrounding a character I've introduced, I'd be glad to hear it<strong>**.**

**-Gallade**


	2. Chapter 2: Sakura

**POV: 3rd person (one of the only chapters that won't be 1st person). Sakura is a sophomore majoring in biochemistry with an intended nursing degree. She sings soprano in the choir and is responsible but hotheaded. She rooms with Ino in Suna building. She has a lot of good friends who she wishes she could spend more time with, but she's busy with her studies.  
><strong>

**Rating: K+/T for mild language **

**Genre: Friendship, will be cute and a little serious. Highlights the roommate relationship between Sakura and Ino.**

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><p>Sakura was taking notes out of a textbook when her roommate flung the door open. The pink-haired student smiled and greeted her as usual; on Fridays, Ino got out of her psychology seminar at about 5:30 at night, and this was her normal return time. Sakura, on the other hand, was free on Friday afternoons. This was one of the only days of the week that she wasn't bogged down with a lab or seminar and she relished the time to herself.<p>

"How was class?" Sakura asked as Ino burst into the room.

Ino set her messenger bag down on the floor next to her bed and sighed heavily.

"Rough?" Sakura asked sympathetically.

Ino flopped down on her bed dramatically. "Oh, it was absolutely horrible! I had to sit through that three hour snore-fest and they expect me to actually pay _attention_?!"

"Well, that's kinda what class _is_, Ino…"

Ino sat up and looked at Sakura with wide eyes. "I mean, how can they expect me to contain my excitement? Naruto's party is tonight!"

Oh, that was right! Naruto was throwing a party.

"Where's he having it?" Sakura asked.

Ino nodded slowly. "Their room. Kiba was talking about it in the dining hall today at lunch."

Sakura bit her lip lightly. "I doubt we'll all fit in that tiny little room of theirs... I mean, who's going?"

Ino gestured flippantly. "Probably the usual people we know... You know, Lee and Sai and Shino 'cause they live right there, Tenten because of Lee, maybe Hinata because of Tenten... Maybe some others we don't know..."

"And we're bringing Temari along, right?" Sakura asked. "And Kankuro and Gaara?"

"Yeah!" Ino agreed. "The party starts at eight and it's... *gasp* almost six! We've only got two hours to get ready!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Ino, two hours is plenty of time."

Ino stood up. "We still have to pick out our outfits - I'm doing that for you by the way - and put on makeup and do our hair!"

"Why put so much effort into our appearances? Chances are there will be drinking, which I'm not taking part in, mind you." Sakura reasoned. "Naruto is friends with nearly everyone. Some upperclassman is bound to bring alcohol. Why put so much effort into your appearance if people will be too trashed to appreciate it?"

"Nonsense," Ino said, walking over to Sakura's closet. "I'm still doing your makeup and hair and picking out your outfit."

Sakura sighed, giving in. "Fine, Ino. Just don't make me look too..."

...

"...Slutty." Sakura said flatly, looking into the mirror. "I look slutty."

Ino put her hands on her hips. "Come on, billboard-brow, you don't look slutty, you look hot."

Sakura checked herself out in the mirror. Ino deemed most of Sakura's clothing unworthy of party attire and insisted that she wear some of her clothes instead. Apparently, this meant digging out an impossibly short black skirt and a tiny red tank top that showed her navel.

"I feel ridiculous."

"Well, you look good, so stop complaining! Now take a seat so I can put some makeup on you."

...

Though the two often quarreled and bickered over the smallest things, it was only _because_ they had such a strong friendship that they even could afford to disagree. That was just how their relationship worked - Ino would push Sakura out of her comfort zone, Sakura would protest and fight Ino over it, and in the end it worked out for the best. It always went that way.

It was because true friendship is a matter of give and take. Ino would pick out Sakura's clothes for special occasions, and Sakura would go along with it because she knew it made her friend happy.

Sakura would peer edit all of Ino's papers upon request, even when she had little time for herself as it was. Though Ino hated when she would receive a lot of criticism, she took it graciously because she knew Sakura did it out of the goodness of her heart and because she wanted her to do well.

Ino kept a stash of chocolate and always knew when Sakura needed it most. She would sacrifice her last sweets for her roommate.

Sakura couldn't cook very well, and everyone knew it. She had the alarming ability to burn everything she touched in the kitchen. But when Ino was really upset, she did her best to bake the blonde's favorite: salted caramel brownies. Ino ate them even though the bottom was burnt.

Sakura wore that outfit to Naruto's party because she knew her best friend wouldn't purposefully steer her wrong. She trusted Ino.

"You ready?" Ino asked excitedly.

Sakura nodded. "Let's see if Temari is ready to head out."

The pink-haired girl went into the hall and knocked on their neighbor's door. "Temari, are you almost ready to go?"

The door clicked open and Temari stood there in her shiny black dress. "Ready," she said, her teal eyes gleaming.

Sakura smiled as Ino came out of the room and locked the door behind her. "Let's get Gaara and Kankuro and head over to Kiba and Naruto's."

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><p><strong>I will admit, this is probably one of the weakest chapters I've written. I apologize! :( The following ones will be so much better, I promise.<br>**

**-Gallade**


	3. Chapter 3: Naruto

**POV: 3rd person. I wrote this chapter before I made the decision to stick with first-person, and I can't really make it flow as well if I switch it to first person. Naruto is a sophomore who is still undecided when it comes to his major. He takes some science classes to be around his friends Sakura and Kiba, but he's generally a pretty horrible student. He plays rugby with Kiba and serves as Vice President of the club.  
><strong>

**Rating: T for language and mention of sexual things. **

**Genre: Friendship and humor. This will be lighthearted and funny.**

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><p>"Good practice, man," Kiba said with a toothy grin.<p>

Naruto smirked back. "Thanks, but it was nothing," he said confidently. He took a moment to peel off his sweat-soaked t shirt and throw it into the gym locker. "We're definitely ready for the game tomorrow."

Kiba stripped off his shirt as well and grabbed a fresh towel from his locker. Slinging the towel over his shoulder, he nodded. "We're gonna crush those losers!"

A few of the other guys on the team started nodding in agreement, clapping Kiba on the back and shoulders. Kiba was the captain of the rugby team as well as the president and founder of the club. He had managed to find a whole team's worth of students who were equally interested in playing, and they just recently began to play against other schools.

Naruto, the club's Vice President, was just as enthusiastic about it as his roommate Kiba was. At first, the club started off as a few friends getting together and playing a few games of rugby for the fun of it. Interest grew and soon enough they got enough signatures to form an actual club, much to Kiba's delight.

"I'm gonna hit the showers now," Kiba said, tightening the towel that was now around his waist.

"I'm right behind ya," Naruto said in agreement.

Kiba nodded and closed his locker door before walking towards the showers. Naruto closed his locker and, adjusting the towel around his waist, went to join Kiba. The two approached the large showering area only to hear that the water was already running.

Naruto looked at Kiba, confused. Kiba nodded at his roommate. "The swim team had practice tonight too. It's probably them."

Naruto nodded slowly, looking around the corner. "So what do we do? The single showers are already taken."

Kiba frowned and looked around the corner as well. "Ah damn," he said in frustration. "Guess we're gonna have to use the giant open shower." He began walking towards the large open showering area.

Naruto looked panicked, stopping dead in his tracks. "No way in hell am I doing that!" He cried. "I'm not getting naked with the whole team and you."

Kiba turned around and smirked. "If you want to smell like ass all night, then fine, be my guest. But just so you know, you're sleeping outside if you stink."

"Hey, no fair!"

"It's totally fair!"

"Fine, I guess I'll shower, but I'm not going to like it," Naruto mumbled.

The two quarreling roommates rounded the corner and saw the community shower ahead. The floor had several drains and there were multiple shower heads. Naruto scrunched his nose in disgust. "This is so gay," he drawled.

Kiba walked in, flung off his towel, and started the water. "It's only gay if you make it gay," he said with a smirk.

Kiba stood under the wall of falling water, running his hands through his thick chocolate brown hair. Naruto shut his eyes tightly, took off his towel, and stepped in. "Fine," he said in disgust. "But I'm not standing anywhere near you."

"Good," the dog-like man shot back, showing Naruto a sly smile that revealed his sharper-than-average canine teeth. Naruto frowned worriedly. He usually loved seeing his roommate smile like that because it meant he was scheming something, but this time he was on the receiving end. It was no secret around campus that the two of them were pranksters who loved causing harmless mischief.

Naruto covered himself with his hands self-consciously, looking around. So far it was just the two of them in there, which made it only slightly less mortifying. At least he felt comfortable around his roommate, who had (more or less) seen him naked before. If the whole team was in here, well... THAT would be embarrassing. Plus Kiba was turned around, minding his own business.

"Oh, I didn't know you two were already in here," a male voice said. Naruto felt himself tense up, knowing that voice anywhere.

It was Sai, one of the most recent additions to the rugby team.

"Do you mind if I join you?" The pale man asked.

Kiba shot him a toothy grin. "Come on in, Sai."

Naruto shook his head wildly. "No, no, no! Kiba he can't come in here, he's obsessed with dicks!"

Kiba looked at Naruto and narrowed his eyes mischievously. "You think I don't know that?"

Oh, now Kiba was doing this just to mess with him.

Sai entered the shower and stood dangerously close to the blonde. "Is there something wrong, Naruto?" He asked, giving one of his unnerving smiles. Naruto furrowed his brow and gave Sai an exasperated look. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," he said cheerfully. "You are one of my good friends and I read that being close is a good way to strengthen your bond."

"What the hell kind of books have you been reading, Sai?" Naruto cried. "There's a time to get close to friends and this sure as hell isn't the time."

He felt Sai scrutinizing his body with his dark eyes and silently cursed Kiba for his misfortune. He knew his roommate was standing over there with a smirk on his face. He covered his crotch with his hands and slowly turned away from his next-door neighbor.

Sai smiled again. "You don't need to try so hard to cover yourself, Naruto. There isn't much there to see anyways."

That hit Naruto where it hurt. The blonde blushed furiously. "Are you making fun of me?" He shouted.

"I'm simply stating fact," Sai explained, looking at Naruto seriously. "You are rather small."

Naruto's blush deepened with embarrassment as he heard his roommate snickering. "That's not funny!" He cried, turning to look at Kiba.

"It's hilarious, tiny," Kiba teased, turning around to face the two.

"Like you have room to talk, you mutt," Naruto shot at his roommate. "You're puny."

Kiba's cheeks pinkened a little, clashing with his red triangular tattoos. "Am not," he said confidently. "I'm a grower, not a shower. Besides, I've never had a complaint."

Sai smiled falsely again. "It's true that you're a little bigger than Naruto, so you've probably had fewer complaints than him. That doesn't mean anything though."

Kiba growled. "Hey! No fair!"

Sai crossed his arms. "What about this isn't fair? I thought we were bonding quite well."

Naruto's face reddened. "Bonding?! You think this is bonding? Here's a hint, Sai: making fun of other guys' dicks doesn't mean you bonded with them."

Kiba shook his head furiously, turning off his shower. "I'm outta here," he muttered, embarrassed.

"See you later," Sai said cheerfully.

"Shut up, Sai," Naruto said as he turned to leave. "You have no room to talk, you know."

"You're just jealous," Sai said seriously. "I read about that too."

"Fuck you!"

"No thank you, Naruto. I don't want to partake in that kind of activity with you."

"Like hell you don't," Naruto said. "I'm not gay but if I was, I'd tear you in two with my monster-"

"Naruto, come on," Kiba interjected. "Stop adding fuel to the fire." He was standing outside the shower, his towel wrapped firmly around his waist.

Naruto pouted. "He started it," he complained, sticking his tongue out at their pale neighbor before joining Kiba and putting a towel over his torso.

Sai waved at the two cheerfully as they left. "See you two back at the dorm."

Sighing contently, he looked at the tiled wall. "I wish I had my notepad with me," he said softly. "I need to make note that telling the truth makes people angry."

_I thought telling the truth was always the best way to go, but every time I do I get a negative reaction from it. Is it possible that the books are wrong...? How do I know when to tell the truth and when to lie?_

Sai hung his head, feeling somewhat crestfallen. "Having friends is a tough ordeal." He sighed.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter: Kiba. I hope it doesn't disappoint you too much... it's the other weak chapter. After Kiba, they get sooo much better.<strong>

**-Gallade**


	4. Chapter 4: Kiba

**POV: Kiba. Kiba is a sophomore majoring in biochemistry so that he can go to veterinary school. He sings in the choir and can often be found playing frisbee with his roommate Naruto and his dog Akamaru. He's also president of the rugby club and loves to live it up and party.  
><strong>

**Rating: K. Nerdy chemistry things galore in this chapter! No rough language or anything**

**Genre: Friendship; serious but lighthearted. This shows Kiba's working dynamic with Sakura and Kiba.**

**I hope this isn't too hard to read for the non-chemistry-minded folks out there T_T **

* * *

><p>"Shikamaru, you're late," I say, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow. "We almost started without you."<p>

I watch my lazy friend as he walks into the organic chemistry lab, showing no sense of urgency or any indication that he cares he is late. Shikamaru arrives at our bench, puts on his lab goggles, and brings out a composition notebook. He opens to a fresh page and looks up at the whiteboard in the front of the room, hastily scribbling down the notes.

"I've already got the whole experimental method written down," Sakura says good-naturedly, sliding her notebook in front of Shikamaru to read.

The three of us are the envy of the rest of our organic chemistry class. We know what we're doing, we get the best grades, and (unfortunately for everyone else) we work together. I know several of our classmates are a little jealous that we don't spread out the intelligence and work with others, but we're also friends and we work well together. Each of us brings something unique and helpful to the table.

Of the three of us, Sakura has the neatest handwriting and keeps the cleanest lab notebook. She's organized and hardworking.

Shikamaru is the genius who knows exactly what we're doing and is the most familiar with the mechanisms behind the reactions.

I – Kiba – am the "unexpected chemistry prodigy," or so I've been called. I don't know, I wouldn't go as far as to call myself a _prodigy_. I'm just good at it and I love what I do. I'm just the crazy dog-loving athlete who can hardly sit still in any class I take. For some reason, though, I'm calm and collected in the chemistry lab and I know exactly what to do.

Yup, with the three of us working together, we always get near-perfect results.

"We're starting the banana oil experiment today, right?" Shikamaru asks, hastily copying Sakura's pristine notebook.

"Got that right," I say, feeling excited. "For once we're actually making something pleasant-smelling."

That's the other thing. I have this hyper-sensitive sense of smell that, despite what you'd think, actually aids us in our experiments. I can name each and every compound in a mixture (even those that are 'odorless') using just my nose, and I can tell how pure something is just by smelling it. It helps our group tremendously.

"Professor Shizune said it's going to smell like bananas in this building for weeks," Sakura adds. "We're all going to be sick of this by the time we're done."

"At least we're not working with naphthalene anymore... That stuff reeks," I say, recalling the lab where we worked with the rank-smelling mothball component.

"Kiba, that was gen chem, not orgo," Sakura jokingly corrects me.

"Yeah, but it still stank," I say back.

Professor Shizune walks into the lab and hurriedly sets her things down at her desk. "Sorry I'm late today, guys," she says, looking out at the class. "I had a meeting with the dean of students."

The dean of students, Tsunade, is good friends with Professor Shizune, and it isn't uncommon to find the two together around campus. I think it's pretty sweet.

"Hopefully you've all taken down the notes on the board. We'll start lab right now. You may begin synthesizing your isopentyl acetate," the professor tells us, adjusting her lab coat.

I turn to my group-mates and flash them an eager toothy grin, showing my unnaturally sharp fang-like teeth. "Alright, let's get this show on the road," I say, impatiently rubbing my hands together.

Sakura nods at me. "I'll set up the reflux apparatus. Shikamaru, would you please go get the chemicals we need?"

Shikamaru nods, for once not complaining about how troublesome it is. Actually, this is probably one of the only environments where he won't complain about doing things.

"Sure thing." He grabs his notebook and slides open one of the drawers to look for graduated cylinders before going over to the fume hood to measure out the correct amounts of materials.

"I'll help you with the reflux apparatus," I tell Sakura, starting to check the lab bench drawers for the necessary pieces. I pull out a few pieces of glassware here and there and nudge Sakura out of the way to check the drawers she's standing in front of.

"I guess I'll go get the ring stand and clamps then," I hear her grumble. I pause my searching and look up at her. She's walking away, looking a little dejected.

I feel a guilty pit form in my stomach. _I_ should have been getting the ring stand. She already volunteered to set up the apparatus and I completely pushed her out of the way.

I guess that's one of my negative points. I… tend to get a little pushy in the lab. I just get so excited! I love doing this. If I push you and you don't push back, I end up doing the whole experiment by myself and not realizing that I took over.

I set out a few more pieces of glassware and grab a few keck clips to keep it together. I hear a sigh beside me and see that Shikamaru's walking back with three carefully balanced graduated cylinders of liquid.

He sets them down beside me and sighs again, gingerly adjusting them so that they're standing apart from one another.

Sakura returns and sets a tall ring stand on the lab bench along with a few clamps.

"This is the isopentyl alcohol, the glacial acetic acid, and the concentrated sulfuric acid," Shikamaru explains to us, pointing out the corresponding liquid as he says them.

"Thank you Shikamaru," Sakura says with a smile. "You're awesome."

"Thanks. Can you go find a heating mantle, Sakura?" He asks. "We need one for reflux."

Her smile drops and I can see that this is only adding to the frustration I caused when I took over setting up the reflux apparatus. Dammit.

"We'll assemble this while you go look," I tell her.

Sakura shoulders slump a little and she turns to walk away. I catch a glimpse of her furrowed eyebrows and I know that if we weren't in a lab full of chemicals and glassware, she wouldn't hesitate to use her fists to show us how she felt.

"I feel bad…" I sigh, clamping the condenser tube to the stand.

"How come?" Shikamaru asks, clipping a few other pieces of glassware together.

"Did you see her?" I ask. "She's mad at us. I didn't let her set up the apparatus and now she's being sent to look for a heating mantle."

"I'd be happy," Shikamaru says, clipping more to the stand. "It's less work."

I shake my head and clip the final pieces of glassware together. "Sakura isn't like that, though. She _wants_ to do the work. She isn't happy if others do it for her."

Shikamaru sighs. "What a drag."

Sakura returns to our lab bench with a heating mantle, her face rather expressionless. "I grabbed the one with the fewest stains," she tells us, plugging it in and setting it under the round-bottomed flask clipped to the condenser.

"We're all set here," I tell her, even though I know it isn't true.

The reflux apparatus _is_ assembled, all except for one (very important) thing.

"Wait, you forgot the tubes to connect the condenser to the sink, " Sakura says, pulling out one of the desk drawers and grabbing the rubber tubing.

"Oh, that's right," Shikamaru says, scratching his head. "Good thing we have you, Sakura."

Sakura chuckles. "Idiots. I know you did that on purpose."

I rub the back of my neck and avoid eye contact.

"…Thanks," she says warmly.

I nudge her with my elbow and smile. "Don't thank me," I say, sliding her lab notebook into view.

"Alright, we've got to combine the isopentyl alcohol with the glacial acetic acid in a round-bottomed flask," Sakura says, reading the page. "Then we'll swirl in the sulfuric acid."

...

Three long hours later, the three of us walk out of lab, feeling exhausted and a little lightheaded from the fumes.

"I'm sick of bananas," I groan.

"The building is going to smell like isopentyl acetate for days," Sakura says. "You'll be even more sick of bananas by the time the smell goes away."

"Don't remind me," I say flatly.

"I'm glad our banana oil was over 99% pure," Shikamaru says with a grin. "There was no gas chromatography peak for any remaining acetic acid."

…

The three continued to talk about the lab as they walked back to the dorm buildings, passing Naruto and Sai as they went.

"Were they just talking about chemistry? They sounded so excited..." Naruto muttered.

Sai put his hands in his pockets and smiled. "Well, I would assume so, considering that that's where they just came from," he reasoned.

Naruto scrunched his nose up and nodded in understanding.

"Nerds."

* * *

><p><strong>I am proud to be a nerd! Nothing against nerds at all.<strong>

**Thank you for reading! They'll get better from here :) Stay tuned for chapter 5: Shino.  
><strong>

**-Gallade**


	5. Chapter 5: Shino

**POV: Shino. Shino is a sophomore double majoring in biology and ecology. He wants to be an entomologist. He lives in a single room next to Kiba and Naruto in Iwa building. He hates being forgotten but it happens too often. He wishes people would include him more. His best friends are ... probably Kiba. And his bugs.  
><strong>

**Rating: K+/T for mention of some sexual stuff, but it's very light. **

**Genre: Friendship. Shows the relationships between Kiba and his friends. It's short, cute, and reflective.**

* * *

><p>Most people call me 'freak,' weird,' or 'gross.'<p>

Others put it nicer and refer to me as a bug enthusiast. I'd prefer that title over the others any day, but in all honesty I just wish someone would remember my name. I wish they would remember _me_.

I will admit, I don't make it too easy for them to recognize me. I walk around in clothing that covers a majority of my body and I'm pretty sure the only ones who have seen me without sunglasses are Kiba and Hinata. You see, I grew up with her. One time when we were younger my glasses got knocked off in a freak kickball incident, but that's neither here nor there.

What's important is that I am, and always will be, forgettable. I'm the guy who stands in the corner at social gatherings while everyone else has a good time. I'm the one who is left without a partner when we have to pair up for projects in class.

I'm also the guy who was the odd one out, who couldn't find a roommate, and is currently living in this tiny hole-in-the-wall single room, where I do my homework in relative peace.

"SHINOOOOO!"

I did say _relative_ peace, right?

For all of the complaining I do about being forgotten, sometimes (make that most of the time) I enjoy my peace and solitude. It makes it easy to get my work done.

My neighbors, Kiba and Naruto, ensure that I don't completely slip away from the world. For some reason they actually _like_ to have me join in on their antics. I don't mind all that much.

"Shino, we're coming in!"

"Yeah, put your pants on and open up!"

"The door is open," I say just loud enough for them to hear.

"Oooh, jerking off with the door unlocked?" Kiba's voice calls suggestively. "Kinky."

The door flies open and Kiba and Naruto barge into the room. "What's good?" Naruto asks, giving me one of his classic wide smiles that could make anyone feel welcome.

"I see you got your pants up in time," Kiba teases, insisting on carrying on with that dumb masturbating thing. He gives me some stupid warning every time they come into my room so that they don't walk in on me naked.

It only happened one time and he won't let me forget it. He makes sure I can't live down the embarrassment.

"Kiba, I never had my pants down to begin with," I say.

"Anyways, what's up?" The dog-lover asks, taking the liberty to sit down on my bed.

I turn around in my desk chair and gesture at my open laptop. "I'm working on my bio research project."

Naruto crashes right next to his roommate. "Isn't that due next week?" He asks, flopping down on the bed. I can feel my eye twitching a little – they're messing up the neatly made bedspread.

"Your point?" I ask, feeling slightly irritated. "You know, there _is_ this thing called 'doing your project _before_ the night before it's due.' I suggest you try it some time."

Kiba gives a one-syllable laugh and sits up on the bed. He turns and begins studying the insect phylogeny poster I have hanging on the wall above my bed. "So what is your research project on?" he asks.

I smile a little. "I'm focusing on this rare beetle called the bikochu. How about you?" Now _this_ is something I actually feel like talking about.

Kiba scoffs. "More bugs? Dude, isn't there anything _else_ you're interested in?"

I narrow my eyes, seeing that he's avoiding my question. "What are you doing for yours?" I repeat.

Kiba looks at me and shrugs before bursting out into laughter with his roommate. "Dude, we've got a whole week to figure that out! Why bother now?"

I sigh and frown behind my dark sunglasses. People say I always look stern, but really it's just my eyebrows. And the sunglasses. But really, I'm not _that_ mean or unapproachable, am I?

"You have a week to write the paper. It's highly irresponsible to procrastinate like this, Kiba." I look at the blonde, who's tracing circles into my bedspread. He's deliberately avoiding eye contact. "Please tell me _you_ have a subject in mind, Naruto."

Naruto really isn't much of a science-minded guy, but he's taking the classes anyways to be around Sakura and Kiba, two of his closest friends. I personally think it's a silly choice, but who am I to judge his decisions?

"Ah what does it matter?" He says, shrugging it off. "I'll get to it sometime."

I feel torn between telling him off and letting it go. Naruto is hardheaded and stubborn and is possibly one of the worst procrastinators I've ever seen. He's hardworking once he feels the pressure of working last minute, but until then he kicks back and has his idea of fun. If I push him to do his work, as I have in the past, he gripes and whines. I decide to keep quiet.

"Anyways, what did you guys stop over for?" I ask, genuinely curious as to why they came to see me.

"Dude, we live next door and you're our friend, do we need a reason to come see you?" Kiba asks, showing his fang-like teeth in a genuine smile.

"Yeah, we _like_ hanging out with ya," Naruto adds.

I don't know why that resonates so much with me, but it does. They came to see me, not because they needed a favor or because they had to, but because they _wanted _to.

They think of me as their friend, someone worthy of their time.

Someone worth remembering.

And that makes their interruptions welcome.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading! As always, I'm open to feedback :) <strong>

**Stay tuned for the next installment, chapter 6: Hinata. It's a good one.**

**-Gallade**


	6. Chapter 6: Hinata

**POV: Hinata. Hinata is a sophomore majoring in English and minoring in dance. She rooms with her best friend Tenten and has known Shino since childhood.  
><strong>

**Genre: Friendship, slight romance. Shows Hinata's relationships with others as well as the friendships of many different Naruto characters. **

**Honestly this one was really fun to write and I hope you enjoy it! It's a little longer and I hope it goes to show that a lot of work went into each of these chapters.**

* * *

><p>"Hey Hinata! Have you heard about the meteor shower tonight?"<p>

I freeze up, my heart pounding unbelievably fast. It's _him_.

Naruto is talking to me.

I turn in the direction of the voice. He's running out of the dining hall and towards me as I walk through the hall and upstairs to the dorms. Oh god, I might faint. He's going to walk with me, isn't he? I don't think my heart can take this.

"You heading up to your room?" He asks, joining me as I walk. I manage to squeak a 'yes.'

You see, at Konoha University there are several dining halls and cafeterias so that the many students on campus have eating options. It's nice because it also spreads out the large student body and ensures no one place is too crowded. Most of the dining halls are in separate buildings scattered around campus, but they're all relatively close to a residence hall. Convenient, huh?

I happen to live in a dorm building connected to one of the dining halls downstairs. It's one of the larger cafeterias, so there's a lot of traffic on the first floor, but I can avoid it by just staying on the upper levels.

I live on the fifth floor, so if Naruto wants to walk with me, he'd better be prepared to hike up some stairs.

_Oh, Naruto..._

We begin to climb the flight of stairs. I can feel myself shaking, and I tighten my grip on the book bag slung over my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asks, turning towards me and squinting. "Your face is all red."

I feel my face get hotter, if that's even possible. "I-I'm fine, N-Naruto," I stutter. "It's nothing."

Second floor.

He shrugs and faces forward again. "Anyways, did you hear my question before?"

"About the m-meteor sh-shower?" I ask.

He flashes me one of his heart-stopping smiles and I gulp nervously. "Yeah! There's gonna be a meteor shower tonight! I was thinking that we could get a group of people together and go watch when it gets really dark."

I swallow nervously for a second time. "Wh-what time are you thinking?"

Naruto smiles again and my heart skips a beat. Does he _know_ how handsome he is? He must have some idea, otherwise he wouldn't be torturing me like this. His wide smile shows off his perfect white teeth and pushes back the whisker-like markings on his lightly tanned cheeks... well, it's enough to make me melt. Or faint. I've been prone to fainting around him.

"The weather reports said they'll be most visible between 11 and 1," he says as we climb the second flight of stairs.

Third floor.

I widen my eyes. "That late?" I ask. "I don't know... there are classes tomorrow."

He looks at me with those sinfully beautiful blue eyes and I can't help but sigh in defeat. "I-I'll think about it," I say, smiling apologetically.

Fourth floor.

He smiles again. "Good! We're gonna be meeting up at the soccer field, but I'm sure we'll go around and gather everyone up first."

"Wh-who else is g-going?" I stutter. I'm sick of stuttering. It's embarrassing and it only makes me more nervous to speak, and being nervous to speak makes me stutter. It's a vicious cycle.

"It was Kiba's idea," Naruto says. "I'm gonna ask the others on your floor. Kiba went to go ask the guys in Suna and we're asking Shino, Sai, and Lee later."

Sakura, Ino, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara live in Suna building. Naruto lives over in Iwa, and I live in Konoha hall.

Basically, he's planning on asking his whole group of friends. I should have figured.

Fifth floor.

"Th-thank you for walking with me," I say softly. I now know that he only came with me because he wanted to ask the others, but I don't dwell on that. I mean, it's a start, right?

"Of course, Hinata," he says as we start walking down the hallway. We pass the closed doors of the other residents on this floor in relative silence. I round the corner and pull my key out of my pocket as I approach my room.

"I hope you'll join us tonight," Naruto says as he approaches a door across the hall from me. Shikamaru and Choji's room. "Remember to dress warmly and bring some blankets tonight so we can lay on the grass. Make sure to ask Tenten and Neji for me, okay?" He says.

Tenten is my roommate, and my cousin Neji is the RA on this floor.

I nod, smiling. "Okay."

I unlock my room, wave goodbye to the energetic blonde, and shut the door behind me. "Wow..." I say breathlessly, sinking onto the floor with my back against the door.

…

"Heeeey!" A voice calls from the other side of the door. I look up from my book and see my roommate putting down her laptop. "That must be them," she says with a smile. "I'll get the door."

I glance at the clock and see that it's about time for Naruto to come by. It's almost 11 pm.

Tenten opens the door. "Hey!" She says enthusiastically. I sit up on my bed and peek curiously at the door to see who's there. It's Kiba, Naruto, and Choji. "You ready to go?" Kiba asks. I get up from the bed, mark my page in the book, and start putting my shoes on.

"You bet!" Tenten says, walking back into the room and grabbing her coat. She slides her flip flops on and goes back to the door. I follow her to the hallway, grabbing a few blankets and a flashlight.

"Is this everyone?" Tenten asks, putting on her jacket.

Naruto makes a disgruntled face and sighs. "We haven't stopped at Suna yet, but this is everyone from Iwa and Konoha. Is Neji coming?"

I shake my head sadly. "He's one of the RAs on duty tonight, so he can't."

Naruto crosses his arms and swears under his breath. I feel bad for him. I understand why he's upset, but really he put this together last minute and conflicts are to be expected.

Tenten shuts and locks our door, and the five of us start to head out.

"No Shikamaru?" I ask Choji as we walk down the stairs.

Choji shakes his head. "Unfortunately, no. He had a shift at the café tonight that he couldn't get out of."

I nod in understanding. The Late Night Café serves food and coffee well after midnight, and it has saved my butt several times during study break and finals week. Both Naruto and Shikamaru work there, but I guess Naruto didn't have to work tonight.

"And no Lee? Or Sai? Or Shino?" Tenten asks.

Kiba grumbles. "Lee got a concussion at soccer practice, but I'm sure you knew that. Sai had to work front desk at the library, and Shino just didn't want to go."

I furrow my brow as we descend the stairs. I've been friends with Shino my whole life and, knowing him, he probably secretly wanted to come along but was afraid of overstaying his welcome. He never used to get much attention from anyone else and was used to being left out. Now that Naruto and Kiba hang out with him all the time, he doesn't know what to do with himself.

We descend the last flight of stairs and exit Konoha hall, laughing and talking as a group. I stay quiet and listen to everyone as they socialize.

I'm actually very shy, but Tenten encouraged me to go along with this whole thing. College is helping me come out of my shell a little, but I'm still very wary in social situations.

Especially when Naruto is involved.

Tenten says that everyone can tell I have a crush on him. I wonder if he knows that I like him.

The five of us approach Suna building, and immediately we're faced with a problem.

"Does... Does anyone know how to get in?" Naruto asks gingerly.

None of us have a key to Suna building, and this might put a stop to our plans.

Kiba turns to all of us and smiles. "Hold on, guys, I've got this."

He picks up a few acorns and rocks from the ground and points at a window a few floors up

Of course! Sakura and Ino have a window room!

"Good thinking, Kiba," I say, immediately catching his drift. He turns to me and smiles warmly. "Thanks."

Naruto squints and folds his arms. "I don't get it..." He mumbles.

"How in the world are you confused?" Choji asks. "He's going to throw stuff at Ino and Sakura's window to get their attention."

"Ohh, I get it," he says, though he still appears a little confused.

Kiba winds up and hurls a small rock at the window in question. We all watch as it goes sailing past the building, missing it completely.

"Nice going," Naruto teases. "I think you woke up the squirrels in that tree over there."

"Oh, shut up blondie. Like you could do better?" Kiba shoots back.

Tenten clears her throat and steps between them. "Allow me," she says confidently, holding out a hand and gesturing for Kiba to hand over the projectiles. "I'm not the pitcher on the softball team for nothing."

Kiba sighs and hands over an acorn, and Tenten skillfully fires it. It taps gently on the window, and Ino's face appears there only moments later. She looks excited and points down at the front door before disappearing.

Tenten smirks confidently. "You're welcome," she says.

A few moments pass until Ino appears at the front door to let us all in. Her smile is wide and there is no doubt in my mind that she's agreed to come along.

We all follow her back into the building.

"You're coming along, Ino?" Choji asks hopefully.

She looks at him and nods. "Of course! I just have to grab my blanket and things." We take the elevator instead of walking up the mere few flights of stairs. Somehow, the six of us manage to squeeze in there, albeit uncomfortably. I find myself squished between Kiba's chest and Choji's back. I look up at Kiba apologetically, seeing as he can't be too happy about having my shoulder jammed into his sternum.

He shakes his head slowly and smiles. "Don't apologize," he says softly. I feel myself smile a little.

The elevator dings, signaling our arrival on Ino's floor. She squeezes her way out, and everyone stumbles out after her.

"Ugh, we're _definitely _taking the stairs down," she says, putting her hands on the small of her back and leaning backwards. Everyone else grumbles in agreement.

After cracking her back, Ino leads us down the hall to her room. "Is S-Sakura coming?" I ask. Ino stops just before the end of the hall where their room is. "Sakura's not here," Ino says with a sigh. "Something about finishing an assignment. She's in the library working with Sai."

I nod in understanding. Naruto swears rather loudly and I flinch a little. There's no need for vulgar language... even though his plans for a group get-together are falling through.

Ino knocks on the door next to hers and Temari answers. She's already wearing her coat and shoes, and the smile on her face tells me that she's been excited for this.

"Let's stop downstairs to get my brothers," she says, holding her blanket with both arms. The giant group we've formed follows her to the staircase.

We arrive on the floor below and go to Gaara and Kankuro's room. Temari turns to us before knocking on the door. "Earlier, Kankuro told me no but I want to see if their minds have changed," she explains to us. Naruto storms up to the door and knocks furiously.

"Naruto, stop!" Temari urges. "Kankuro said probably not because Gaara isn't feeling well. Don't be so loud!"

The door flies open, revealing an exasperated Kankuro. He's not wearing his purple face paint. "What the hell?!" He whispers loudly. "Gaara is trying to sleep."

Naruto pushes his way past everyone and goes into the room, approaching his red-haired friend. He seems to be lying in bed from what I can see. This hallway is getting very crowded and I'm beginning to worry about what the RA will think if he or she finds us all here.

"What's up with Gaara?" Kiba asks.

"He's had this weird stomach pain all day. I want to keep an eye on him," Kankuro explains. "That's why I'm not going to go to see the meteor shower with you guys. I'm sorry."

Temari hangs her head and sighs. "I hope he feels better," she says. "Thanks for looking after him." There are several nods and hums in agreement from the group, myself included. It _is_ rather nice of Kankuro to give up this experience to take care of his brother.

"Wait," a deep voice calls from inside the room. It's Gaara, and he even _sounds_ like he's not feeling well. "Kankuro, I know you wanted to go to this thing," he says, slowly walking to the doorway and clutching his stomach. "Most of the pain subsided anyways. I think I'll be fine," he says, mustering up what appears to be a pained smile.

Kankuro turns to his younger brother and raises an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. Gaara scowls. "If I need help, I'll call the RA and go to the med center. Please, go and have fun."

Kankuro bites his lip and looks to his sister for advice. She shrugs. "He sounds like he means it," she reasons.

Kankuro smiles and goes into the room, probably to grab his things. I hear Temari call for Naruto and tell Gaara to call for help if he needs anything.

Kankuro comes out wearing his black cat-eared hoodie and carrying a flashlight. "Ready," he says with a smile.

We wave goodbye to Gaara and go downstairs to leave Suna.

The group begins to talk amongst themselves again on our way up to the soccer fields. I take the backseat once more, preferring to listen rather than join in on the conversation. Kankuro is talking with his sister and Tenten, and Naruto is busy having a rather spirited debate with Choji and Ino about who knows what. He's so energetic and puts his heart into everything he does and I love that about him.

I feel a nudge and I look over to see Kiba. "You're so quiet," he says. "Are you alright?" He's smiling gently at me and it's kinda nice.

I muster up a shy smile in return. "I'm alright, Kiba," I say, facing forward as we all start to go uphill to the soccer fields. "You know I'm just always quiet."

He nods and adjusts his grip on the blanket he's carrying. "I know you are, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

I can't help but smile at that. Kiba has always been so nice to me.

It's funny, really. I don't even know how I met him. Through Naruto, I guess, but this is such a huge campus and I don't know how we formed such a large diverse group of friends but we did. If this was high school, you'd never see all of these different people together. We have the stereotypical "nerds" and "jocks" and "preppy" girls and "artsy" and "theater" and musicians and everything in between, and somehow it all works out.

Choji is into theater and cooking and yet his best friend-slash-roommate is a lazy math and science guy. They're friends with the fashion-oriented blonde psychology major (who I take botany classes with) and her pink-haired nerdy pre-med roommate. They hang out with Temari, a history major and international studies minor who also happens to play two sports and sing in the choir. Her brothers are two totally different guys who also sing. Kankuro does theater and props and gets along with Choji really well. At the same time, he also does massage therapy classes with my cousin Neji. Gaara, who is into English and writing and mythology, does his homework with Sakura even though they don't take classes together.

Temari and Tenten are on the softball team together and Tenten is dating Rock Lee, who rooms with Sai, an artist. They live near Naruto and Kiba and Shino, and all of them form an unlikely group of friends.

I grew up with Shino, a future entomologist. I guess the reason we're friends is because we've known each other for our entire lives. He's a good guy. Kiba is the odd mixture of athlete and science major and musician who has tattoos and piercings, and his best friend Naruto loves people and somehow manages to befriend everyone he meets.

I guess he's the reason every one of us became friends... Naruto.

I'm brought back from my musings by Kiba's voice beside me, and I realize that we're here. I've been lost in my own thoughts for so long that I didn't even realize we made the long trek to the soccer fields.

Up here, it's darker and more secluded. This is our best shot at avoiding the nearby light pollution from the college and the city so we can see the meteor shower.

"Let's set our stuff down here!" Naruto cries. "This is the perfect spot."

We're at the edge of one of the soccer fields near the wooded path that leads to the track and baseball fields. It's nice and secluded and surrounded by trees and I feel strangely safe out on this dark and slightly chilly night.

Naruto begins to set down the blankets he brought for the ground, using Kankuro's flashlight to see. Soon enough he's set out a good four or five blankets and the space looks wide enough for the eight of us to lay down and look up at the night sky.

I look at Naruto, who is surveying his handiwork proudly, and smile. He's really something, organizing this. Even though a lot of the others had other obligations, he still managed to get some of us together to see the falling stars.

He takes his shoes off, puts a hoodie on, and lies down on a blanket, and soon enough everyone else lays claim to their own spot. Tenten and Temari lie down next to one another at the edge of the blanket, with Choji on the blanket near their heads. Ino is situated diagonally so she can talk with all three of them. Kankuro and Naruto are laying in the opposite direction next to them, and somehow I muster up the courage to lay near him.

It's amazing, really, that such a large group of diverse people with diverse interests can get together and be close friends like this. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I look over at Naruto, who is staring up at the night sky. It's dark but I can still see his bright blue eyes and dazzling white teeth. I want to say something, but it's so hard to begin speaking. Once I start speaking, there's no way to turn back though, so the hardest part is getting that first word out.

"I-It's such a nice night for this, huh N-Naruto?" I stutter.

He turns his head my way and smiles. "It is! It's not cloudy or anything. I hope we can see the meteors."

I feel myself flushing for no reason at all and I turn my head to face the night sky, hoping Naruto doesn't notice my blush.

The inky blackness of the sky is beautiful and, for a moment I forget that I'm even near a college town and all of the bright lights. Up here with the plush well-managed grass of the soccer field beneath us, it feels like we've slipped away from it all. Away from civilization, away from all of our school obligations, and away from the stresses of the world.

The sky has more stars than you can imagine, and it looks like they're all showing tonight. The harder and longer I look, the more stars appear. The sky is painted with these luminous twinkling lights against a backdrop of darkness.

We lay there for a long time in peace and quiet. I guess everyone else is in awe of the night's beauty as well. No one wants to pierce the surreal tranquility.

The trees above us rustle in the cool night breeze and a chill passes through me. I realize how cold I am, another shiver wracking my body. I pull my long sleeves over my hands and hug my arms in tightly over my chest.

"Are you cold?" Kiba asks beside me. He sits up halfway and props himself up on his elbow, a faint smile stretching across his face. I say that I'm fine because I don't want him to worry about me, but my teeth chatter as I talk and he can see right through me.

He narrows his eyes and his smile grows. "Here, take my coat," he says, sitting up and unzipping his black leather jacket.

I look at him in slight alarm, mouth agape. "Kiba, I can't take your coat, you'll be cold if I do."

"Please? I can't stand to see you shiver like this," he says, kindly holding his jacket out for me.

When I refuse again, he slips it over my shoulders and I sigh, the warmth enveloping me. The leather jacket has a bit of weight to it and the sleeves are long, but I slip my arms inside them anyways. The cold vanishes.

It even smells a little like Kiba, I realize. The scent of warm leather, a pleasant cologne, and a trace of dog, and somehow it all smells wonderful together.

I look at him with worried eyes, trying to judge whether or not he needed his jacket back. He's staring right back at me with this strange... longing... look in his eyes. I avert my gaze quickly and feel the blood rushing to my cheeks.

Why was he staring at me like that?! I don't believe anyone has ever looked at me quite like that before.

I clear my throat and stare at the night sky. "Thank you for the coat, Kiba," I say finally, feeling myself smile. "I feel so much better."

He lays back down, arms behind his head, and sighs contentedly. "Good, that makes me happy."

I tighten the jacket around myself. "Mmm," I hum softly, closing my eyes and appreciating the warmth.

It almost feels like Kiba has moved a little closer to me, and strangely enough I don't mind it one bit. He's throwing off quite a bit of body heat and that's certainly welcome on a chilly night like tonight.

I turn to look at Naruto on the other side of me, suddenly aware of the deafening quiet that's taken over. His chest is rising and falling slowly and his eyes are shut.

I think he must have fallen asleep.

I look at Kiba and see him looking up at the night sky, a lopsided grin on his face. It looks like he has fangs because of how sharp his teeth are, and when he smiles you can see them. It's charming, in a way.

Even in this very low light, the red triangle tattoos on his cheeks are visible. It's an odd design to have, and on the face nonetheless, but it's just so... so _him_. He wouldn't be Kiba without them. Well he _would _be, but somehow they fit him and only him.

I also see a glint of metal in his ear. Even his numerous piercings are visible, illuminated by the soft moonlight.

Has he always been this good-looking?

_Wait, stop it Hinata. Pull yourself together. He's just your friend, that's all. And your loyalties lie with Naruto, remember that._

I bite my lip softly, feeling conflicted.

Should I really be putting my blinders on and ignoring everyone else in the hopes that Naruto will someday return my affections?

Part of me wants to say that it's only fair to him that I wait. He'll come around eventually.

Or not.

But it would be like sacrilege to give up now, right? I feel like I owe it to him to keep waiting.

I owe it to myself to be happy though, and isn't that what should come first?

I thought tonight would be full of opportunities to get closer to Naruto and even though that hasn't happened, it can't bring me down in the least.

Kiba has always been there for me. I think back to all of the time we've spent together and realize that we've gotten so much closer to one another than Naruto and I ever have.

At this realization, I can feel myself blushing, and hard.

He doesn't try to change me and I like that about him. He embraces the fact that I'm shy and doesn't try to coddle me or force me out of my comfort zone and that's what has made him become a good friend of mine.

He brings out the best in me. I don't think I've ever really stuttered or gotten nervous around him. I don't know how he's done it, but I feel - dare I say - comfortable around Kiba.

I feel a large, warm hand gently grab my wrist, but the motion is so quick that I can't help but pick up on some of his surprise.

"Look!" He whispers loudly, pointing up at the sky. "A shooting star!"

I follow his arm to see where he is pointing, and a bright streak of light flashes across the sky. I gasp softly in amazement.

"Make a wish," he says.

I think about what to wish for.

On one side of me is the boy of my dreams. Being with him would just feel _so_ right, I know it. He makes me weak in the knees and lose my words. He's fun and friendly and sweet.

I turn and look at the boy on the other side of me. His eyes are shut softly as he makes a wish on that falling star. He is the friend who put my warmth and comfort above his own and who genuinely cares for me.

I close my eyes and, smiling, I make my wish.

I wish for happiness, whatever that might mean.

* * *

><p><strong>See what I mean? It's so fluffy and cute! It also shows that I'm a KibaHina shipper but knew that NaruHina was always going to be the actual canonical ship. Next chapter will be from Sai's perspective :) <strong>

**-Gallade**


	7. Chapter 7: Sai

**POV: Sai. Sai is a junior who is majoring in art and minoring in sociology. He's socially awkward and craves attention, and really it's probably not so great that his roommate is Lee (he's not the person who you want to learn 'normal' social behavior from!). He works at the library front desk.  
><strong>

**Rating: K+ (I think?) Most of these aren't T but I promise they're still worth the read!**

**Genre: Friendship, humor. Contains Sai's love of reading and his inability to read social situations.**

* * *

><p><em>When a pretty girl is near, you may suddenly feel nervous and stumble over your words. Jumpy erratic behavior will make your attraction to her obvious, so play it cool.<em>

Well, that passage certainly isn't all that helpful.

I look up from this book that I am reading and steal a glance at my friend Sakura. She often comes with me to the library when I have to work my shift at the front desk. It's nice to have a companion who sits with me during the dreadful quiet hours.

I work at the library's front desk, mostly taking returns and handing out textbooks on reserve. It's not a very exciting job, especially when you work into the dead hours of the night like I do. It gives me a peaceful place to do my assignments, but sadly most of them are art projects that cannot be completed here anyways, so I read. I read and read and try to understand human behavior as best I can.

Many people call me awkward, but I don't know how true that can be. After all, I can still function in social situations from what I can tell. I was homeschooled for most of my life, and where I lived there were no other children around to interact with for miles. I guess you can say that I missed my chance to develop good social skills. College is certainly an interesting place to catch up, that's for sure.

I look down at my book again and scan the page for where I left off.

Oh, right. I'm reading the section about love and romance. In all honesty, the subject is both foreign and fascinating. I want to know how it feels to fall in love, but I'm not entirely sure I'm capable of doing it. The book says that a pretty girl might make me feel nervous and interested.

Why, lately I've been feeling a little nervous around Sakura, but I am definitely not in love with her. For one, she is not a pretty girl. She has this hideous pink hair that she claims is natural, though I don't buy it. She also has this gigantic forehead that she attempts to hide with her bangs and a headband... Though hiding it does no good. You could see her forehead from space. I think it looks sort of strange.

She is not my definition of pretty at all (though I can't say I even _have_ a definition of 'pretty'), so therefore I cannot feel attraction to her. That is the only conclusion I can draw from that paragraph in the book.

_Feeling attraction for someone can leave you wondering what to do about it. Do you tell them? Do you stay silent? It is difficult to decide how to act._

_Some men choose to stay completely silent and harbor a secret crush on this cute girl. This is a safe option because you can't risk being hurt, but things will never move forward this way. Men who choose to take action can either drop subtle hints or be direct about it._

_If you wish to strengthen your relationship with this girl, consider leaving her a note to tell her how you feel about her._

Well, that could work. Sakura is becoming a close friend of mine as it is, but I would love to strengthen our bond further. I don't want to lose her, so perhaps if we became closer... Yes! I will tell her how I feel about her! That will surely make her feel valued in this friendship.

I slide my book aside and look at her again. She's sitting at the table behind the front desk, pushed farther back so people know she's not working here. As if anyone would come to the library this late at night.

I take out a piece of paper and a pen to write her the note. I'm not sure exactly what to say to her because the book doesn't tell me that. It just says the note should tell her how I feel about her.

I'll just say what first comes to mind.

I put the tip of the pen to the paper and begin writing furiously. The scratch of pen on paper seems incredibly loud in this quiet vacant library. The only other noises are the hum of the lights and the softer sounds of Sakura's pencil as she takes notes from a textbook. She's not writing furiously like I am.

I look down at my paper and see my handiwork.

"Dear Ugly, I am writing this note to tell you what I think of you. Though you are severely unattractive and ill-tempered, you are my good friend and I appreciate having you. But please, do something about that awful hair color and the dreadful faces you make. At least your body is rockin'. -Sai "

I grin to myself. This is perfect! It will definitely tell her how I feel.

I wad up the piece of paper and throw it at Sakura. It nails her in the head and bounces off, rolling under her chair.

She gives me a dirty look and I know I'm in trouble. My heart begins to race nervously as she storms over to me.

"Sai, what the hell was that for?!" She shouts, standing over me in my desk chair. I shrink a little further.

"I just wanted to tell you how I feel about you."

Her face gets redder and angrier and I wonder what I did wrong.

"I see how it is. You don't know how to _tell_ me what you think so you hit me with paper to _show_ me!" She fumes, grabbing the collar of my shirt and breathing heavily. She's downright terrifying.

"No, that's not it," I manage to say. "It's a note."

Her facial expression softens a little and she releases me from her deadly grip. She retrieves the wadded up note from under her seat and straightens it out to read it.

Her facial expression quickly changes from a hopeful grin to an angry frown. Soon she's gritting her teeth and looking at me furiously and throwing the note aside. "Sai..." She growls.

I attempt to get up and escape, but in only a few steps I find myself in the same collar-grip as before. It's incredibly uncomfortable and I feel like I'm being choked. She's so close that I can feel her angry breath on my face.

"Why the hell would you write that for me?!" She cries, shaking me by the collar. "What's the matter with you?"

"I was only trying to tell you how I feel!" I stammer.

Her face gets redder if that's possible.

"I - I only wanted to strengthen our bond!" I explain, hoping to calm her down somehow. I don't know if it's the chokehold or the stopping of my heart, but it's getting hard to breathe...

"How the hell would that strengthen our friendship?!"

"M-my book -"

Sakura releases me from the chokehold and gives me the most pissed-off look I've ever seen. "What book?" She seethes. "Show me."

Now I'm afraid of what she'll think if she finds out I've been reading the section about love and romance. I don't want to give her the wrong idea.

I look over at where I was sitting and she does too. The book is still there, laying face-up and still open to the page I was reading. I gulp nervously.

She storms over and picks up the book, scanning the page furiously.

A few nerve-wracking moments pass as her eyes follow the words. I don't know what I did wrong here because I just told her what I thought of her. I expressed interest in keeping our friendship strong... I told her that I value having her around. What about that made her mad?

Was it the mention of her appearance? Surely that must be a sore spot for her. After all, she could be self-conscious about her hideous looks... I read that in a book. But I read in another book that honesty is always the best way to go, and honesty about her appearance landed me in trouble.

I don't know how to decide what is right.

She slams the book down on the desk and I reluctantly look up at her. She looks a little less angry than before, though her arms are crossed and she has a 'we need to talk' look on her face.

"This is a book about love, Sai," she says.

I nod. "Yes, I know. I was curious about the subject because it seems so odd to me. I mean, having such strong feelings for someone? How can one feel for another like the book says?"

Her facial expression softens, and I breathe a sigh of relief. She's calm now.

"You've never been in love?" She asks. "Haven't you ever felt attracted to anyone?"

I shake my head. "I haven't felt anything like the book says."

She moves a little closer and beckons for me to sit. We sit at the front desk in more of a conversation-like position.

"Love rarely ever goes by the book, Sai," she says softly. "Have you ever wanted to see someone more than anyone else? Have you ever looked at a person and felt like hundreds of butterflies are trapped in your stomach?"

"That sounds awful," I say, slightly horrified.

She giggles a little. "They're metaphorical butterflies. It's a good feeling."

"Ah."

She clears her throat. "But anyways, I'm sure you've felt _some_ sort of loving feeling for another person. Don't you have anyone who is special to you? Someone you value differently than others?"

I think about that for a moment. Yes, I have several people who I value more than others. Most people at this university are strangers. Some are friendly strangers, some don't even look at me, and some are just plain rude. But I also have special people who I want to forge closer bonds with.

Naruto, my neighbor who always includes me and makes me feel welcome.

Lee, my roommate for two years in a row and the first friend I made at this school.

Kiba, the rowdy, partying, closet "geek" who lives with Naruto.

Shino, the neighbor who stays quiet but is always respectful. He is often dragged into doing things with Naruto and the others, much like I am.

Then there is Kankuro, who I take art classes with sometimes. He is nice enough and has two siblings who go here. Gaara is his brother who also happens to be good friends with Naruto. I see him occasionally when he comes to hang out.

Deidara is a senior who I take art classes with too, though I am more into the 2D arts while he prefers 3D and theater. He claims that theater is beautiful because it only lasts for a little while. It is fleeting and explosive in nature. To each his own, I guess.

Then there is Sakura. She always chooses to do homework in my company whenever I have a late shift at the library. She claims to come along simply because it's quieter and easier to concentrate when no one is around, but I think there's more to it than that. This is the way we 'hang out,' as most people would call it.

This has become routine. We sit together and talk as little or as much as we need to. Even in complete silence we still enjoy each other's company.

I have to admit, it's a little lonely on days without her here. I look forward to spending time with her.

My heart sinks into my stomach and begins beating wildly, my eyes widening. Sakura...? No, I couldn't...

Could this be... love?

It's impossible. After all, I don't even find her pretty.

I look at said girl and find her staring at me, concerned.

"Sai, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable... If you don't want to talk about this anymore, we don't have to."

I blink a few times. "No, I find this subject matter fascinating. I was just thinking about your question, that's all."

"Oh right, I asked if there was someone special to you."

I nod. "I value friendship above all," I say, proud that I've provided an answer to her question.

She smiles.

"Before coming to college, I had no friends, nor did I have a desire to make friends. I did not even have a grasp of what friendship was, and I certainly didn't care enough to look into it. I had no idea how fantastic it could be."

I take in a long breath before continuing. "...Then I met everyone. Lee, Naruto, Kiba, Shino... You."

She looks surprised for a moment.

"That's... That's why I wrote you a note. I wanted to express how I felt to you because the bond we have means so much to me."

I have no idea why I'm saying so much of this stuff aloud... I don't know where all of this deep sentimental stuff is coming from.

She places a hand on the back of my chair and smiles.

I feel afraid all of a sudden as I think back to that thought I had. Could it even be _possible_ that I love Sakura? Is this what it feels like to love? Have I known what love is like without even realizing it?

"Sakura, is this what love feels like?" I blurt.

"You know, Sai, friendship is a kind of love," she says warmly.

Somehow she knew exactly what I needed to hear to ease my fears. I don't need to worry about whether or not what I feel is 'love' love because I know for sure that I love her and all of my friends.

"Thank you, Sakura."

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><p><strong>See? Cute and funny at the same time. <strong>

**Next up will be Chapter 8: Deidara. It'll be longer and more T-rated, that's for sure. Also, it was one of my favorites to write.  
><strong>

**-Gallade**


	8. Chapter 8: Deidara

**POV: Deidara. Deidara is a senior who double majors in art and theater. He is dramatic and quirky, and theater gives him a good taste of truly fleeting art. He lives in a triple room with his roommates Sasori and Hidan.  
><strong>

**Rating: T/mild M. Mostly T because nothing too sexual or descriptive happens, but there are very heavy implications (as well as language). **

**Genre: Sasori and Deidara's friendship, a little bit of confusion regarding romance and self, uh... really not sure how to describe it. You'll like it if you ship Sasori and Deidara. Also this got incredibly long.**

* * *

><p>Art is beautiful. Art is magnificent.<p>

Art... is a bang. I love a good bang.

No, not like _that._ Well, yes, I love that too, but get your mind out of the gutter!

If you tell someone you're majoring in art, they'll probably call you crazy. They'll laugh and say you'll be out of a job. They might wonder how you'll find a way to make a living.

I've heard those things too many times, but I'm still sticking to my guns. I'm not in it for the money; I'm in it because I love it.

I've always had a knack for sculpture. Since the time I first picked up a lump of clay, I've known I had a gift. Fantastical creatures are formed from amorphous white blobs almost effortlessly. The surface is as smooth or as detailed as necessary, without any imperfections, scratches, fingerprints, or a single sign that it was sculpted by human hands.

I've been told I have godly hands. Take that however you will, yeah.

The things I make look like they could come to life. I used to pretend they did when I was younger.

I've actually had offers to have my creations displayed in a museum or showcase before, but I refuse every time. I hate the idea of my art being immortalized forever. Call me crazy, but I think the best art is fleeting and temporary. It's quite the contradiction with my field of choice, I will admit, but that's why I also do theater. That gives me my fix of momentary artful expression.

I also love making my sculptures explode, but that's usually frowned upon so I've stopped doing it... as often as I used to, anyways. Heh. (Don't tell the college I'm the one who sets off those explosions in the woods, but I can't help myself).

Clay is my preferred medium without a doubt. I feel very free and able to express myself. As an art major, however, I can't just stick to one medium and expect to earn my degree. Apparently, "artists have to be skilled in multiple areas" and, among other things, everyone has to take a figure drawing class. I made the mistake of putting it off until senior year.

Once a week, I have to spend three hours in a room with who-knows-how-many other students, my sketchbook, pencils, and a naked person.

_A naked person_.

It shouldn't bother me that much, right? Well it wouldn't if I could draw better.

I'm comfortable with clay. A pencil and a live model? Not so much.

It's nearing the end of the semester, and I've been dreading the announcement of our final project criteria. It turns out that I had every right to dread it.

...

"So you've gotta do it?" Sasori asks, raising his voice in amusement.

It's late, and my roommates and I are finally settling in for the night. We live in a triple and it's a pretty sweet deal.

I slump over at my desk chair and sigh. "It's exactly like I said, I have to find someone on campus willing to model for my final project."

Hidan fails to hold back his laughter and he cracks up rather loudly. "And they have to be _naked_?! Shit, Deidara, why are you so nervous about this? It's a perfect excuse to ask some bitch to strip for you."

I give Hidan an exasperated look. "You think I didn't think about that already? The problem is that the gender ratio at this school doesn't exactly favor that option, yeah. And besides, most of the girls here are stubborn or hotheaded and would never let a guy like me draw them naked."

Hidan's merry grin dies off and he begins to ponder that. "Oh... Well shit."

Sasori swivels in his desk chair and gets up. "When do you have to have this done by?" He asks, walking across the room and retrieving his toothbrush and things. He's about to go get ready for bed, but he's waiting for my answer before he leaves.

I sigh. "There's no checking in with the professor or anything, we just need this done in two weeks. I want to get started soon though, yeah."

Sasori nods understandingly and leaves the room, toothbrush and toothpaste in hand.

The door clicks shut and Hidan reclines on his bed, hands behind his head. "Fuck..." He sighs loudly. I can hear his spine popping all the way from my side of the room (ew!) and I know he must have had a tough swim practice.

"This sucks," I groan, turning in my seat to face my desk again. It's covered in paper and pencils and clay and all sorts of things that would make an artist squeal with delight. Half-finished sketches and sculptures litter the surface.

I shake my head and turn around. The thought of drawing right now is giving me a headache. I get up and head to the bathroom with my toothbrush and nighttime stuff. I'm in the mood to fall asleep and get away from this stress for a little. I know finding a model is only a minor problem, but as the fall semester is coming to a close I have so many other finals looming over my head as well. I have other art classes to tend to, I'm in two different theater productions that are performing soon, and I have to thesis for both my art and theater majors by the end of the school year.

College is so stressful.

...

Sasori is an artist too, though he has different ideals than I do. I think true art is fleeting, while he loves things that are immortalized forever. Strangely enough, he's the huge theater fan and puts on stunning performances that do not last forever. He even makes puppets and amazing props. Though I don't agree with his need for everlasting art, I respect his talents.

That's why I went to him for advice on the matter of choosing a model. He went through this more or less when he took the class years ago.

We live in Konoha building, the one with a dining hall downstairs. It's super convenient, I will admit. It's nice to be able to leave your room to eat and not ever have to leave the building or go outside.

I asked Sasori if he wanted to grab some lunch today, and he agreed. My schedule rarely matches up with Hidan's or Sasori's, but it's nice when we happen to have some time for meals together.

I enter the dining hall and scan the tables for Sasori, whose cherry-red hair is a dead giveaway. I spot him at a table near the stairs to the dining hall's second floor and make my way over. We're both on a limited time frame because of classes, so I don't waste much time grabbing whatever food looks appetizing before I make my way over.

"Hey," I say, setting my plate of food down and pulling a chair out to sit. Sasori looks up at me and smiles while taking a bite of bread. He's got a plate of pasta or something with tomato sauce and garlic bread, I can't quite tell. It must be delicious though; everything here is delicious.

I have a plate of grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. And a cookie. I can't help it... I have a sweet tooth and this school makes damn good desserts.

Sasori swallows and clears his throat. "Sorry about that, my mouth was full. I meant to say hey."

I shake my head and smile, cutting into my chicken with a fork and knife. "It's alright, Sasori my man. Has your day been good so far?"

He twirls his fork absentmindedly on his plate, picking up a forkful of spaghetti. "Eh. It's alright I guess. I'm already sick of the day. I want it to be over with."

I stab a piece of chicken with my fork and nod. "I feel ya, I'm so tired.

After chewing and swallowing that piece of chicken, I continue. "I've also been meaning to talk to you about something."

Sasori looks up from his plate, looking mildly interested. "What is it?"

"You took figure drawing a few years ago, right?" I ask.

He smiles softly and nods. "You're wondering about the final, huh?"

I groan. "Exactly what I'm wondering about, yeah. Did you guys have to draw another student naked?"

Sasori chuckles softly. "We were all placed in the same room with the same model - a hired one - and told to draw him."

I stare at him, not amused. "You've gotta be kidding me. What the hell changed between now and then? Why did they make it so awkward for us?"

The dining hall has gone quieter, and I look around to see some people staring at me. I guess my outburst was louder than I thought... How embarrassing. I slouch in my seat and return to my quiet companion.

"Have you had any luck finding a model?" Sasori asks, twirling spaghetti around his fork again.

I look down at my plate and sigh. "No. I haven't asked anyone today. I'm giving up." I pick up some broccoli on my fork and pop it into my mouth. My nose wrinkles in disgust but I force myself to eat it anyways. It tastes a little too green and vegetable-y for my liking, but I have to stay healthy somehow.

Sasori looks at me, his heavy brown eyes looking even more heavy and tired than usual. "Well... _I_ can model for you," he says somewhat reluctantly. The way he says it makes him seem worried about how I'll react. "That is, if you're in a pinch and have no one else. I'm there to fall back on."

I look at him in shock. "Sasori, my man, you can't be serious. I don't know... You understand the meaning of 'naked,' right?" I bring my bottle of water up to my mouth and take a sip.

Sasori rolls his eyes and smirks. "I'm not stupid, blondie. I... I modeled for my class one time. It wasn't so bad."

I widen my eyes in horror as the thought of him being my model sinks in. I would have to see all of him. Everything. Oh god... _Oh god_! I choke on the water and begin coughing loudly.

Sasori stands up from his seat, alarmed. "Are you alright?" He cries, watching me cough and sputter and make a huge scene in the cafeteria for the second time today. Go me.

I cough and cough and nod that I'm okay, and Sasori comes over to my side of the table. He begins whacking my back between my shoulder blades as I gasp for air.

"Don't try to talk, just breathe for now," he says reassuringly. I reach for my water bottle and take a few frantic sips, hoping that it'll stop the coughing. I can tell that my face is red and hot.

I get in a good deep breath and sigh. Sasori whacks me one more time and backs off, looking at me with raised eyebrows. I can tell that he's silently asking me if I'm okay now. "I'm good, I'm good," I croak.

He sits back down in his seat. "What was all that about?" He asks, bewildered. "Did you forget that you can't inhale your water?"

I throw a piece of broccoli at him and smirk. "Oh shut up," I say.

He gets a devious look on his face. "I know what made you choke," he says knowingly. "It was right after I volunteered to be your model. You were thinking about me naked!" He accuses.

My face pinkens and I cough once or twice. I try to think of a comeback or something that will save me, but I've got nothing. My silence is just making matters worse, I know it.

He smirks and sits back, crossing his arms confidently. "So... Deidara is blushing at the thought of seeing me naked," he taunts, quiet enough so that no one around us is bound to hear and take it the wrong way. "Can't say I blame you. I'm quite the sight to behold."

I widen my eyes further. "Shut up! I'm just sickened that I would have to see my roommate's junk, that's all."

The redhead doesn't look convinced and my face won't return to its normal color, which isn't helping my case at all.

"I never imagined that you batted for both teams, Deidara," he taunts lightly, that devious smile gracing his features once again. I groan frustratedly and bring a fist down onto the table. "Shut up, shut up, _shut up_! I do _not_," I urge.

He chuckles and breaks off a small piece of garlic bread. "Relax, I'm only joking. Man, you're so touchy about the subject."

I exhale deeply and try to calm myself down a little. "Sorry about that," I apologize. "I... I guess it wouldn't be _so_ bad if you modeled for me, yeah."

I instantly regret saying that. The thought of seeing either of my roommates naked is appalling. I mean, it would scar me forever! I have to live with them, and the image would be burned into my mind.

Oh god, what have I done?

...

Hidan is away for a swim meet at another school for a few days, so it's just Sasori and I. With the due date for my project drawing close (no pun intended, heh), this is the perfect time to get this whole thing over with.

Yeah, no one else agreed to be my model. Choji, one of the guys in the drama club, lives right upstairs and he's friends with several good-looking girls, so I asked some of them. He said the blonde one was off-limits... I think he likes her, and I'm not one to interfere with that kind of thing.

I asked the pink-haired one and received a bloody nose.

Tenten lives upstairs too, but she has a boyfriend and her roommate Hinata fainted when I asked.

It leaves me no choice other than Sasori. Gulp.

At least with Hidan away for a few days, we can do this thing without being ridiculed or hearing him shout profanities. He swears like a sailor and this would just set him off.

"So, um..." I say nervously, not sure how to phrase this. "Is now a good time to ask you to be my model?"

It's a very tentative question, and the words don't want to leave my throat. It's a Saturday afternoon and there are probably a million other things Sasori could be doing instead of helping me out. Part of me wants him to say he's got somewhere to go, but I know it's now or never.

Sasori puts down his screwdriver and the puppet he's been working on and smiles softly. "If you feel like drawing now, then sure."

I gulp and get up to grab my pencils, eraser, and pad of good paper from my bag. When I've retrieved the necessary items, I sit down on my bed and make the mistake of looking up at Sasori.

He's already shirtless and in the process of undoing his pants. I quickly avert my eyes, my heart pounding in my chest. I want to just tell him to put his clothes back on and forget it. I want to quit and say never mind, but deep down I know he's my only option left. It's either this or failing the class.

_I just need to act like a professional... Don't look at him for his nakedness, look at him like you would for any other model. _

But he's _not_ just a lifeless model, he's a person, and my friend nonetheless. I'm not a professional artist, figure drawing isn't my field of choice, and I haven't been exposed to enough of it to look at him professionally. I can't look at a naked body and remove the sexuality like a doctor can.

"How do you want me to pose?" Sasori asks. I look at him and immediately widen my eyes.

He's completely nude. Oh god.

I look away and bite my lip. "I don't know," I say, refusing to look him in the eyes. "However you feel comfortable, I guess."

"You know, you can't draw me if you don't look," he says. I can hear the amusement in his voice and I know he's getting a huge kick out of making me uncomfortable.

"I don't think I can do this," I say, staring at the place where the ceiling and wall meet. We should really do something about those cobwebs.

Two hands come to rest on my temples, one on each side of my head, and turn me to face forward. Sasori is crouched down and we're at eye level. I can't see anything explicit, thank goodness.

The redhead doesn't even need to say anything. He just looks at me with those large, heavy-lidded brown eyes and smiles. I sit there, my mouth gaping like a fish as I try to put words together.

"You can do this," Sasori says finally. "Stop worrying so much. Now let's just get this over with. You know I'm not a patient man."

He stands up and walks back to his side of the room, and I get a full view of his ass as he walks. I shut my eyes tightly as I feel myself blushing.

He's way more comfortable doing this than I thought he'd be. I mean, he stripped himself of clothing without even batting an eye. It's almost like he _wants_ to do this, to let me - his roommate and friend - see him naked.

No, he's just being a good friend and is willing to do anything to help me. He just has a weird way of showing it. Yeah, that's all.

I pick up a pencil and move my sketch pad to my lap. I just have to get this over and done with.

I look up at him. He's looking off sideways, one hand on his hip and the other hanging at his side. He looks comfortable and natural, which relaxes me a little too. I sigh. I can do this.

I begin lightly sketching the general shape and contours of his body, from his head to his medium-wide shoulders to his strong, taut, lean chest and stomach. Sasori has a slighter figure than the ones I'm used to drawing in class, which is refreshing. I sketch the outline of his arms and hands, which are placed next to the gentle outward curve of his hips and muscular legs.

I gulp nervously, and instead of getting to the more intimate things I decide to procrastinate and add smaller details. I add in his wild hair, which sticks up every which way. I look up at him and study his face, trying to capture his facial expression. He looks so calm and peaceful, a stark contrast to my jittery anxiety. His eyebrows are relaxed and his eyelids are drooping ever so slightly over his large brown eyes. He seems so content, and I can't help but smile a little. I look down at my paper and add the curve of his nose, thin and tiny with a slight upturned tip.

He's got the tiniest ghost of a smile on his face; barely there but I can still see it. His lips are thin and slightly pouty, with the upper one sticking out a little farther than the lower one.

I'm paying way too much attention to detail, much to my horror. I've let myself stare, and the worst part is that he isn't even looking at me. He knows I'm staring and he encourages it because he agreed to be my model.

I can't help but stare. I've never looked at my friend this closely before, but now that I'm drinking in the details I realize that he's beautiful. Too beautiful for a man. He looks like a doll, with perfect features like one of his puppets.

I have to keep drawing, but the sight of him has me doing more observation than sketching. I look down at the page and realize half the details I took note of didn't make their way from my eyes to the pencil to the page. I look up at him again and find him staring at me.

I blush uncontrollably and my eyes dart back to the page in front of me. Eye contact has never been so awkward before.

"What's the matter, Deidara?" He asks, his tone light and playful. He's enjoying this way too much.

"Nothing," I say quickly. I make myself look like I'm really concentrating on the drawing so I don't have to look back at him. I don't know why I'm suddenly feeling so flustered. It's almost like I'm seeing a whole new Sasori.

...Well, I _am_ seeing a whole new side of him, but I mean, I've never looked at him this closely before. I'm not gay, but I'm suddenly finding him beautiful and it's got me scared. I've always been attracted strictly to girls, and yet I'm sitting here nervously, drawing my naked roommate and - dammit - appreciating his beauty.

I don't know what to make of this, and I almost feel like I can't look at him. Like I'm breaking his trust or betraying him somehow if I let myself enjoy this.

"Deidara?" He asks softly.

"Huh?" I ask, still refusing to look at him. I can see his upper body (and nothing more) if I stare at the ceiling, so that's what I do.

"Deidara, I feel like I'm making you too uncomfortable... let's just stop this," he says, a hint of sadness in his voice.

I shut my eyes and bring my head back to a neutral position. I want to feel relieved that he made that suggestion, but all I can focus on is the sadness in his voice, the sadness that is undoubtedly clouding his eyes, the fact that I let my friend down or disappointed him somehow.

I open my eyes and, for the first time, I willingly look him dead in the eyes.

God, he has such big, expressive eyes.

"No," I say. "I need to turn in a drawing of something, and I'm not going to stop now. I'm sorry I was being a baby back there."

Sasori smiles at me and I feel nervous again. Not nervous to draw him or even look at him, but nervous to address my feelings about this situation. I'm really scared because I think I'm starting to feel attracted to my roommate - my _male_ roommate -and I've never felt attraction to a guy before.

I can't say anything to him because I know he likes women too. It would make things weird if I told him. It would ruin everything.

I could take the time to enjoy drawing him in all of his naked glory, but I feel like enjoying it would be pervy and wrong... I'd be breaking his trust.

I don't know what to do.

I look back down at the paper and begin sketching again, glancing up at him occasionally for reference. Soon enough, I've got his entire upper body carefully sketched out, complete with detail. Everything looks eerily perfect, from the tousle of his hair to the pout of his lips to the lean muscled look of his chest and arms. I behold my handiwork in amazement, a smirk forming on my face. It looks just like Sasori.

"Whatcha smiling about?" I hear him ask. I hold up the paper to show him and he moves closer to see. "It's not finished yet, but it looks good so far," I say proudly.

He takes the paper to look at it and suddenly I'm at eye level with his crotch and oh god I can't help but stare at it. I feel so dirty and I know I should look away but I can't.

His cherry-red hair is natural, I realize. Not that I had my doubts.

He's also kinda well-endowed and I can tell that much even when he's soft and I'm face to face with his dick and oh god make it stop I can't stop staring.

"You just window shopping, or are you gonna buy something?"

I freeze as my blood turns to ice.

Sheepishly, I look up at Sasori. He's smirking and looking at me and oh god my life is over. I'm so ashamed that he caught me staring at - and appreciating - his merchandise.

"I'm so sorry," I apologize, looking away.

"It's a very nice drawing so far, but I'm afraid it's missing something," he says. My face gets even hotter and I wish I could hide. I want to curl up and die and disappear off the face of the earth.

"I think I'm done for today," I say urgently. I put the pencils away and snatch my paper back from Sasori. That needs to go in the desk where Hidan won't find it and wonder what the heck went on while he was gone. I slip it inside the large desk drawer and turn back around. Sasori is putting his clothes back on and - thankfully - already has his boxer briefs back on and is slipping into his pants.

The moment he turns around and picks up his shirt, I can see his face. It's almost heartbreaking and I want to look away but I can't. He's trying to hide how dejected he must feel, I know it.

I don't know what to make of everything that just went on, and I would try to say something if I knew exactly what was going on in his thoughts and how he felt about what happened. It's all so confusing and I feel bad for rejecting his advances (or for assuming he was making advances if that wasn't his intention).

I need to make sense of my own feelings right now, though.

...

We sit in this strange silence for who knows how long. I'm still wondering why I feel this way so suddenly, but I've thought about it some more and I came to a few conclusions.

I'm not as shocked as I was before, now that I've mulled it over a little and let it sink in. I may or may not have a thing for Sasori, and that's that. I don't have to act on it, and it's probably best if I don't, but there's no need to feel like the world is ending.

I didn't realize it until now because I haven't ever studied him so hard or so closely before. At first I thought maybe I think he's attractive because he's so feminine-looking, but I know that's not it. I just have to face it, I find my roommate attractive.

"Sasori?" I ask tentatively, breaking the tense silence.

He sits up in his bed and looks at me. "What is it?"

I sigh and sit up as well, crossing my legs pretzel-style. "Listen, um... I'm so sorry about what happened. I hope you're not mad at me or embarrassed in any way. You shouldn't feel embarrassed and I hope that how I reacted doesn't make you feel like you _should_ be embarrassed."

He nods silently, thinking about that. "It's fine, Deidara. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable. I didn't mean for things to get so..."

"It's fine, Sasori," I interrupt, smiling slightly. "I'm the one who should be apologizing, not you. You did nothing wrong."

He sighs. "But I'm the one who pushed you so far when you clearly didn't want it, and I feel horrible."

I yawn audibly and lay back down in my bed. "I was just confused at the moment, that's all," I say.

I'll leave it at that and see how things go tomorrow. We have to finish this thing before Hidan returns anyways, so I'll sleep on it.

...

Sunday morning rolls around and I'm feeling reluctant to wake up. If someone asked me to describe the dreams I had last night, I wouldn't even be able to start. It was all strange and left me feeling restless and I know it has something to do with my confusing Sasori situation.

I glance at the alarm clock next to my bed and see that it's around 9. Sasori is an early riser and I know he must be awake by now, though he's made no indication that he's up.

I'm afraid to talk to him because of all this awkwardness, but there's nothing I can really do but talk to him. It's unavoidable.

If this is how liking Sasori will make things, then I've involuntarily made a huge mistake.

The swim team will be back from their meet later tonight, so this creates a huge dilemma. I need to talk to Sasori at some point today and decide what to do about my drawing. If we go ahead and finish it, it has to be before Hidan comes back, but finishing the drawing is another thing entirely. If I attempt to finish my final, it would mean a repeat of yesterday.

I'm not sure I'm ready to confront my feelings about this, but the time crunch is pressuring me otherwise.

I yawn and sit up, my bangs all disheveled and in my face. That's the downside to having long (gorgeous) blonde hair, I guess. I feel like a disaster. "Mornin', Sasori," I say.

Said redhead rolls over under his covers and faces me, a small smile on his sleepy face. "Good morning, Deidara," he says contentedly.

I spent all night trying to downplay the feelings I had for Sasori, and now they're back stronger than ever. All it took was seeing him lying in bed, looking at me through those big, beautiful sleepy eyes. I hate myself for thinking about waking up next to him and having him look at me like that. I must be going crazy.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," I apologize. I know I already said that to him last night, but I'm feeling apologetic this morning, so why not?

He yawns and sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "It's alright."

"I wanted to know what you thought about continuing the drawing," I say. It's better to be direct about this, I decide. Skirting around the issue only prolongs the awkwardness.

He looks at me, the shock very apparent on his face. "I thought you wanted to give that a rest," he says. "You know, permanently. Forget it ever happened."

I shake my head and stand up, grabbing the black liquid eyeliner and hairbrush I have on my nightstand. "Sasori, my man, you don't even know the half of it. There's no way I'd be able to forget what happened yesterday, yeah."

I head to the mirror on Hidan's side of the room and take out the bun that I sleep in. Having such long (and luscious) blonde locks means that I have to tie them up at night or else they get tangled. I woke up with only my bangs in my face, but it could be _so_ much worse.

I drag the brush through my hair, smoothing out the light waves made by the overnight hair-tying. I leave most of it down and tie up the top section into my usual ponytail. I've raised quite a few eyebrows with this hairstyle, but I like it. It's me.

"So you're willing to finish the drawing?" Sasori asks. I can see him if I look in the mirror at a certain angle. He looks hopeful but... unsure about something.

"If I turn it in unfinished, I'll probably fail the class," I reason, unscrewing the top of the eyeliner and dipping the brush in a few times. I start to outline my right eye, the one not covered by my hair. Another thing that turns heads is the ring of black I always have around my eyes. "Besides, if we continue we'll need to finish before Hidan comes back, yeah."

Sasori nods and throws off the covers before standing and stretching. "Alright, I can dig it. Lemme just go take a shower first," he says. He grabs a towel and his shower caddy and heads out the door.

I sigh and start to outline the other eye, tucking my bangs behind my ear. Okay, I've got like five minutes before Sasori comes back. Five minutes to mentally prepare myself. Five minutes to tell myself that I can't act on any impulses I might feel while Sasori is posing naked.

The project comes first.

I'll ruin the friendship if I tell him how I feel. It'll weird him out.

I need to focus on the drawing.

I was just shocked yesterday. It was the first time I had ever seen him naked, so of course it was the shock that made me so jittery. Yes, that's it.

Today I won't be so surprised, so I can focus less on his body and more on the drawing. I won't be so flustered now that the novelty is gone.

I cap the eyeliner and head back over to my side of the room to get my drawing stuff. I open my desk drawer and take out the paper and pencils from yesterday. I'm a little shocked at how much the drawing resembles my roommate, and I'm very pleased with myself because drawing is not my strong suit.

The door opens and I'm startled a little. I guess I was lost in thought for longer than I realized. Sasori walks in with just a towel wrapped around his waist.

"I'm back," he announces, as if I couldn't see him. He smirks and shuts and locks the door behind him, and instantly I'm nervous again. I clutch my pad of paper close to me.

He's really not wearing much clothing at all, and his hair is still damp. It's enough to make my stomach tense up and my heart start racing. God, I feel like a preteen girl with some dumb crush. This is _ridicul_ - oh my god what is he _doing_ nonononoNO.

Sasori takes the towel off of his waist and uses it to dry his hair. Thank god the towel is over his head and face and he's preoccupied with rubbing it vigorously over his hair, or else he'd see the stupid face I'm making.

My brain says "_close your mouth, dummy, or you'll catch flies_," but the message is getting lost in translation somewhere because my face won't listen and I'm sitting there with my jaw dropped. Sasori's body looks even more perfect today than it did yesterday, if that's possible. I feel a nervous knot forming in my stomach and I want to look away because I feel like I'm seeing something that I shouldn't be seeing but I can't stop staring.

Shouldn't I be disgusted? I mean, I have absolutely _no_ desire to see Hidan naked... God that would be mortifying and revolting and I don't want to see that. I shouldn't be okay with seeing Sasori like this, right? What makes_ him_ different?!

"You're drooling," Sasori teases.

By now he has tossed the damp towel into his laundry hamper and he's standing there completely nude.

"Am _not_," I retort, picking up a pencil. When Sasori tilts his head back and closes his eyes and laughs a little at my mercy, I wipe my mouth with my sleeve. You know, just in case he was right about the drooling thing.

"Anyways, how was I posing yesterday?" He asks, immediately straightening out.

I look down at my drawing and, rather than describing it to him, I walk over and show him. He nods understandingly and takes the same pose as yesterday. He nails it, right down to the facial expression.

"That's perfect," I say, walking back over to my bed and taking a seat. Looking at my drawing again, I have a bit of a realization.

Dammit, I nearly finished the upper body and torso yesterday and now there's nothing left to do but his legs and... parts.

Quickly but precisely, I sketch out the general outline of his lean muscular legs. His hips swell out ever so slightly from his trim and toned waist, and the curvature of his legs is nearly perfect. I have to say it again... he looks like a doll. He's perfect and sculpted just like the puppets he so lovingly crafts and it makes drawing him rather easy. I shade and refine and darken the important lines, glancing up at him every now and then as I capture his likeness.

A while later, his lower body is finished. Well... all except for the blank space I've left in place of his crotch. I've been putting that off until now and I feel so weird about this. Maybe I can just draw in a tasteful leaf or leave the area blank or something... I mean, the professor doesn't _need _to see Sasori's junk, right? And I'm not sure I'm comfortable drawing it either.

"Done."

I sigh in relief and hold the paper at a distance to see how it looks, and Sasori walks over to see it as well. I'm wary because he's standing so close and he's so... so _naked_! I hold the paper so that he can see as well.

"That looks just like me!" He says enthusiastically. I almost feel proud because he approves of my depiction of him... no, I'm _definitely_ proud. No 'almost' necessary.

"And you said you weren't good at drawing," Sasori teases, crossing his arms. He's got this smug little grin on his face and his big brown eyes are shining knowingly. "You're such a liar, Deidara."

"Oh shut up," I shoot back, my tone light and not at all serious. "This one just happened to turn out well."

He inspects it again and snorts. "So I guess you're going to turn it in unfinished?"

I know what he's referring to, but I don't feel comfortable drawing that.

"It _is_ finished, yeah," I say defiantly, snatching the paper back and carefully placing it in the desk drawer again so it doesn't get ruined. "There's no need to draw in anything else."

He looks almost hurt and I'm afraid to ask why. He can't _seriously_ want me to draw his... his stuff, _can _he?

"Deidara, it might seem like a weird request, but..."

Oh god, here it comes.

"...May I ask what's making you so uncomfortable?" He asks, concerned. "Am I doing something wrong?"

I chuckle nervously. "Sasori, my man, you're doing nothing wrong."

_It's my brain that's making everything seem so wrong and I wish it would stop!_

His eyebrows furrow. "Then why are you acting like this? I thought you wanted to finish this project, and that's why I volunteered to help you... I hated seeing you anxious, so I offered to help. But even now that you did the drawing, you're _still_ acting weird."

I don't know how to respond because I haven't even totally figured it out yet. I want to feel disgusted about so many things but I can't bring myself to do it. I want to feel like how most college seniors would feel about seeing their roommate of the same sex naked.

I want to hate myself for feeling this way about a guy, but I can't. I want to say that it's just a phase or that it's just infatuation or appreciation but I can't be certain. I'm feeling so confused and overwhelmed and stuck.

"If you're willing to listen to me, then I want to talk," I say, my voice sounding so shaky and uncertain that I barely even recognize it as my own. "Go ahead and take a seat." I pat the space next to me on my bed.

Sasori goes to sit down and I quickly interject. "WHOA-_whoa_ put something on first, yeah."

The redhead stands back up and nods in understanding. He walks over to his dresser and puts on a fresh pair of boxers, but I catch a (very nice) view of his round little ass as he walks and I'm ashamed that I even thought those thoughts.

He comes back and sits.

"So what's up?"

...

"...you probably think I'm crazy, huh?" I say, finishing the long-winded explanation that I'm sure has his head spinning. He probably thinks I'm some creepy whacko gay nut job or something for finding him - a straight male - attractive. Up until yesterday, I thought I was as straight as a board but I guess that's not the case anymore.

He's silent and I can't see his face, so I have no idea what his reaction is, nor am I sure that I want to find out. I'm so ashamed that I actually revealed all of that to him that my eyes are screwed shut and I'm slumped over.

I feel a hand on my back, gentle but sturdy, and I snap my eyes open in alarm. My sky blue eyes open to see large, heavy-lidded brown ones. Sasori is smiling and he looks so serene. "It's okay," he says calmly.

"Huh?"

"Deidara, I don't think you or anyone else knows this, but I'm what most people would consider bisexual."

That hits me like a brick wall.

"I'm pretty sure I know how you're feeling right now," he continues. "This is going to be some deep shit, okay? Bear with me."

I nod in astonishment.

"I've learned that you don't need to single it down to labels like "gay" or "straight" or "bi." Love whoever you want to love and don't let the pressures of labels or the judgment of other people make you think you're doing something wrong by loving whoever you feel attraction for."

Sasori's right... That _is_ some deep advice. I'm not breaking any rules or doing something bad by feeling attracted to a guy when I've been otherwise straight all my life. It just means that l find him particularly attractive.

...and he happens to think I'm attractive too. Heh.

...

We agreed that friendship comes first. We live together and the swim team travels away often enough should we feel the need to experiment, and this is in no way an exclusive thing between us.

And that's okay with me.

Oh, and I aced the final project because I'm a fucking boss.

* * *

><p><strong>This was probably one of my favorites to write, and originally I meant for it to be shorter, but… yeah, it's not. Stay tuned for chapter 9: Choji.<strong>

**-Gallade**


	9. Chapter 9: Choji

**POV: Choji. Choji is a sophomore who double majors in theater and culinary arts and minors in music performance. He's a huge sweetheart and is the pride of the drama club. He lives in Konoha hall with Shikamaru, and their room is across the hall from Tenten and Hinata.  
><strong>

**Rating: K**

**Genre: Friendship. This is cute and fluffy and shows the strong friendship between Shikamaru and Choji. **

Play rehearsal makes me hungry. Musicals make me hungry too. In general, acting and singing make me hungry.

Who am I kidding? Everything makes me hungry.

The time for our performance of Hamlet is drawing near, and with all of these important rehearsals, I haven't been able to snack as much as usual. You see, I'm playing the role of Hamlet and I'm in most of the scenes, so I can't eat.

When I'm acting, I can almost forget how hungry I am. Almost.

I get completely absorbed into the role, and when I'm on stage I become my character. I guess you could say I have a real talent for performing arts, but I'm much too modest to admit that about myself. Still, the drama club loves having me. I act, I sing, and I dance.

I'm a theater and culinary arts double major and a music minor at Konoha University and I'm proud to say that I love it. I love it all so much. Whoever said college would be fun - for the parties, the friends, and the memories - was right. I'm having the time of my life.

"Great work tonight, Choji my man," Deidara says, clapping me on the back and giving me a toothy grin. He's a senior who's playing the role of Horatio, Hamlet's best friend, so I've been working with him a lot this year.

"Thanks, Deidara," I say sincerely. "You're doing a great job too, I mean it."

He smiles and is joined by his roommate Sasori before walking away and saying "see ya around." The two of them live a floor or two below me in Konoha building and it's nice that they are as involved in theater as I am. Sasori is in charge of this whole thing. This is his senior thesis in theater and he's doing a tremendous job, I must say. He's the guy who built most of the show's props and he's also playing the role of King Claudius. He's a theater and art double major just like Deidara, so I take a lot of classes with him.

I pack up my bag and head out of the auditorium with only one thing on my mind. I want food.

I skipped dinner for rehearsal tonight, and I _never_ skip meals. You know shit's pretty serious if I skip a meal for it.

I feel the blessed cool night air greet me as I leave the hot building and start to head for Konoha hall. I made sure Shikamaru and I chose to live there for one reason and one reason only: the dining hall.

There's this huge cafeteria right in the same building as my residence hall and it's fantastic. I will gladly brave the many flights of stairs to have easier access to the glorious eating establishment. One flash of the student ID gives you access to a two-level buffet-style dining hall. I'm sure the school is losing money by feeding me.

I reach the entrance to the residential part of Konoha hall and go inside. It's pretty quiet and I guess it makes sense. It's sorta late and it's not the weekend, so no one's going to be partying. I make my way down the hall and turn the corner, walking through a series of doorways.

My heart sinks as I near the door to the dining hall. That's not a sign on the door, is it? Those lights can't be off yet, can they?

Deep down I know that it's too late, but part of me stays hopeful. It's like it won't become reality until I read it with my own eyes.

"Closed."

"Dammit," I mumble, my heart sinking. The dining hall is closed for the night. I could go to one of the late-night cafés or a restaurant or something, but I was really looking forward to eating here. I don't feel like going somewhere else.

My stomach growls, adding insult to injury. I feel hollow and my stomach aches from the hunger. I never go this long without eating during the day.

I sigh, turn around, and begin to make my way to my room. I live on the fifth floor and it's going to be a long, painful hike with an empty stomach.

I don't have food in my room. I know it sounds silly. After all, why would the hungriest guy on campus – and a cooking major, nonetheless - not have food of his own?! Simple: I ate it all. I haven't gone to the store for fresh ingredients, I haven't stocked up on instant ramen either, and I know chips alone won't satiate my hunger.

I start to go up the many long flights of stairs to my floor.

This residence hall is nice, but the stairs are so painful to walk up sometimes. I mean, _five floors_?! It's a little excessive if you ask me.

If I busy my mind with other thoughts and don't think about how much the stairs make my legs burn, then the walk goes a little quicker. Before I know it, I'm huffing and puffing and climbing the last steps to the fifth floor.

It's embarrassing being this out-of-breath when I go up to my room, but even athletes breathe heavier when climbing up to the fifth floor. It's just a little much, I think. If we need this much space for students, maybe we should have another dorm instead of just piling everyone into a really tall building.

I make my way past the doors of other residents, the smell of something delicious wafting through the air. I wonder if someone's cooking something in the kitchen. It's a little late for that but I mean... It's possible. Some people aren't on the meal plan and have to get food for themselves. Others run out of meal credits for the week and have to cook their own food. If I ever ran out of meal credits… well… I don't even want to think about that.

I'm an excellent cook, if I do say so myself. I can't tell if it's because I have a talent for it or if it's because my taste buds guide me, but I'm a culinary arts major for a reason. I'd cook more if I had a car to get groceries... and if the dining hall food wasn't so damn good here.

I approach my door in one of the side hallways, walking past Tenten and Hinata's room as I go. The kitchen on this floor is just around the corner, and the smell of food is stronger than ever. Someone's definitely making something delicious and it's just teasing me at this point.

I open the door very slowly so I don't wake Shikamaru in case he's already asleep. He's usually still up when I come back from rehearsals, but this one ran a little later than normal and I don't want to be a bad roommate. That kid values his sleep more than anything.

I enter the room and see that the light's still on, but Shikamaru isn't here. That's weird... I didn't think he had anything to do tonight. Maybe he had some impromptu assignment to do for tomorrow or something. Shikamaru and Kiba and Sakura always do their organic chemistry studying together, so maybe they had a lab writeup due.

I set my backpack down by my desk and sit on the bed, the mattress springs creaking. When I sit down, my exhaustion hits me hard. I could fall asleep right now if I wasn't so hungry.

I lean down and slide a large plastic storage bin out from under my bed. I keep food in here so it stays fresh and pest-free, but right now all I have is some snacky food. I guess chips will have to do for now...

I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. Puzzled, I pull it out and see who texted me at such a late hour.

Shikamaru.

I go past the lock screen and open my messages to see what he said. Maybe he's working on homework after all.

"When you finish with play practice, come to the 5th floor kitchen."

I look at the screen, unsure of what to think. Wasn't there someone in there already? Why did he want...?

Oh.

Now that I think about it, I don't think I saw my pots and pans in the storage bin.

I shouldn't get my hopes up too much, but I have my suspicions as to what he's doing.

I close my phone and set it down on the bed before getting up and heading out the door once again.

I make my way to the kitchen, the delicious aroma pulling me in. As I get closer, I can hear the metallic clang of cookware and the running of the kitchen faucet.

I peek my head in, hoping that I see my roommate in there and not someone else. That would be embarrassing. Everyone on this floor knows that I love food - I don't want them thinking I'm trying to mooch a meal off them or anything like that.

I feel a jolt of excitement when I see Shikamaru standing at the sink, scrubbing the inside of one of my pans with a soapy sponge. He's already in a cozy green college hoodie and sweatpants and he looks ready for bed.

"Hey!" I say, walking into the kitchen. I can see a plate with grilled pork chops on it. On the stovetop are saucepans, one filled with potatoes au gratin and the smallest one with a dark reddish-brown sauce. My mouth begins to water.

Barbecue.

He turns around and his face lights up at the sight of me.

"Hey, you're here already! You got my text?"

I nod and approach him, a huge smile on my face. "I did! I had no idea this was you in here until you texted me!"

He puts down the heavy pan and smiles. "I didn't know when you'd be done, but it looks like the timing was just right. I sent that text as soon as I finished cooking you dinner."

"This is for me?" I cry in disbelief.

"Of course."

I widen my eyes and hear my stomach growl loudly. I guess being hopeful was appropriate in this case.

Shikamaru made dinner for me.

"You're the best, Shikamaru!" I say sincerely.

"Am not," he says coyly, looking a little flattered.

"Are too!" I insist, going up to the plate of pork chops and scooping some potatoes onto it. I smother the pork chops in warm barbecue sauce, my mouth watering in anticipation. This looks and smells so good and it's taking every ounce of self-control to not shove my face into the plate. I carry it to the kitchen table and see that he brought silverware too.

He really thought of everything.

I turn to look at him, amazed. It's nearly midnight on a Tuesday and he's been slaving over a hot stove for me because he knew I didn't eat dinner.

"You didn't have to do this," I say, my voice sounding a lot more amazed than I thought it would.

He chuckles and shuts off the water. "But I wanted to." He picks up a dish towel and starts to dry the pan.

"But... I mean... it's a lot of work!" I stammer, cutting into a pork chop.

"Not really," he says. "I made the potatoes from a box and put the pork chops in a pan. Not too hard."

Even so, it's time that he invested in making dinner for me. That's a lot more than anyone else would have done for me.

Shikamaru is the best friend I could ever ask for. I've known him for all of my life and we ended up going to the same college together. I know some people think it's silly to room with an old friend, but I mean... we had different roommates last year. This year we chose to live together. I think that just proves that we're going to be best buds forever.

I can't get over the fact that he made dinner for me. Anyone else wouldn't have paid enough attention to see that I didn't eat dinner. If I came back hungry, they wouldn't do anything about it. They might even tell me that I could stand to lose some weight.

Shikamaru doesn't do any of that though. Others have judged me for my weight and appearance, and Shikamaru has never once said anything. He isn't embarrassed to be seen around me and he sees the good in me when others fail to even try to see it.

"Please, have some too," I say to him, gesturing towards the plate of food. He smiles and pulls out a chair, picking up another set of silverware.

He knows this is huge because I _never_ share food.

Not unless it's with a true best friend.

* * *

><p><strong>I just love the friendship between Shikamaru and Choji. They're probably two of my favorite characters. Anyways, stay tuned for the next chapter about Tenten! I'm really so glad that you've read this, and reviews are very welcome <strong>

**-Gallade**


	10. Chapter 10: Tenten

**POV: Tenten. Tenten is a junior who double majors in Spanish and psychology. She's fluent in several languages. She plays softball and field hockey and is dating Rock Lee. Her roommate is her friend Hinata and she is also good friends with fellow teammate Temari and Hinata's cousin Neji.  
><strong>

**Rating: K/K+**

**Genre: Romance (established relationship), sports, worry. Cute and very light dramatic reflection.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>It's the bottom of the first inning, and I am ready to win.<p>

The Konoha University softball team is playing against the Amegakure college team, and it's going to be a good game. I can feel it.

I'm extra pumped today and I'm not in a good mood, so instead of being sad and letting my team down I'm using my anger to fuel my pitching.

You see, my boyfriend Rock Lee and I got into a fight last night. I don't even remember what it was about but it seemed big because we don't fight that often. I ended up telling him to come to the game if he wanted to fix things, and if he didn't show then I knew it was over. I know it's a bit much but I was mad and we all say things we regret when we're angry.

I'm on the pitcher's mound and I know everyone is watching me and the batter. Amegakure already has two outs and they're about to get this third out as soon as I'm done with this girl. I tighten my grip on the hard ball and let out a deep calm breath. My team is counting on me.

I wind up and let the ball fly. The girl swings the bat and misses by a long shot. It lands in the catcher's mitt with a satisfying 'thump.'

"Strike one!" The umpire cries.

Fans of the Konoha team cheer and clap, and though I hear them I still can't help but wonder if Lee's out there.

I don't want to end it with him, so I'm really hoping he shows up. He usually comes to my games anyways, so it's not like I asked too much of him. I know he enjoys sports as much as I do. He's on the men's soccer team and the track and field team as well.

But usually I can see him in the stands or something. He's gotten into the habit of holding up large poster board signs with my name written on them. It's not hard to miss him. He has shiny black hair that's trimmed into a bowl cut and large round-ish eyes. He's also lean and muscular and has the sweetest temperament. He's very enthusiastic and determined and has an amazing sense of self-discipline. You can just _tell_ when he's here.

I wind up and throw a fast pitch. The batter stands there and doesn't even swing as the ball sails by and into the catcher's mitt with another satisfying 'smack.' She looks dumbfounded.

"Strike two!"

The crowd cheers and I feel a surge of adrenaline. This is exhilarating. I only have to throw one more strike and then it'll be Konoha up to bat again.

I wind up and throw the ball, the motion of my wrist adding spin to it. I watch in eager anticipation as the ball flies by the batter. She swings but it curves just out of the way of the bat.

"Strike three!"

The crowd goes wild and we all start to jog into the dugout. I feel a few of the girls on my team pat me on the back and say things like "great job!"

...

I wish it felt great. It's now the bottom of the last inning and I'm still pitching. By this point, my arm is getting sore and I'm not sure why coach hasn't swapped me out for another pitcher yet. It's a little too late now, and all I have to do is get the next two girls out. I'm so close to throwing a no-hitter, so I should be excited about this, right?

I'm not. The pressure is huge and I know my whole team is counting on me. My arm is tired and I'm not sure how good my throws are going to be.

I also haven't seen any sign of Lee. I guess we're really over.

I wish I hadn't given him that ultimatum. I wish I had kept my mouth shut when we fought. I want him back.

I know we're not supposed to carry our emotions onto the field, but I thought I was fine until now.

How can I pitch a perfect no-hitter while I'm this distressed? My heart is hammering away in my ribcage, an uneasy anxiety crawling up my throat.

The girl up to bat is large and muscular. I can tell that she's a power hitter, so I really need to watch out for this one. I can't let her get a hit or she'll knock it out of the park.

My fingers tighten on the ball and, with a well-practiced motion, I wind up and pitch it. My shoulder aches from going through the same motion so many times. I know I need a rest but if I can just stick it out with these last two, I'll be free.

The ball sails by the girl's bat, narrowly going over the top.

"Strike one!"

The rising tension from the stands is palpable out here on the field. The crowd's screams are getting louder and more excited.

I know I can't let them down, but I don't know if I can do any more of this today. I feel nervous to find out whether Lee was here or not. I haven't seen him and the confirmation of my fear that he wasn't watching is going to kill me.

I really thought we were a good couple. We both play sports so we're always busy, but at the end of the day we always have time for each other. We love as hard as we play, and there's no better feeling than coming back from practice and having him waiting for me. I don't know what I'm going to do without him.

Not now. I can't focus on that now. I need to stay focused on the game. I can cry and go through the heartbreak later, after this is all over.

I choke back my urge to cry and throw another pitch.

The girl's bat makes good contact with the ball and I feel my heart sink.

Well there goes every hope I had of throwing a no-hitter.

The ball sails into the outfield and one of the girls frantically runs to get it. She reaches her glove up to catch it in midair and it bounces out.

I slump a little. We almost got her.

This girl is a power hitter, but she's no runner. She's near first base and looks like she's going to try for second, but she's slow.

The girl in the outfield winds up and throws the ball to Temari on second.

She catches it and turns to face the runner. She's already back on first, safe for now.

Temari gives a dramatic roll of the eyes and tosses the ball back to me.

I catch it and start to feel nervous again as I turn around and face the batter.

This time there's a thin, short girl up to bat. She looks like a fast runner, but not a long-distance hitter. This'll probably be a ground ball or something, and if we play this right, we can get both players out and win the game! Ame has a score of zero; Konoha has one.

I feel the excitement and adrenaline pumping through my veins. I know that it's risky, but I'm going to let this girl get a hit. She's not going to make it very far, and we could get both girls out in one play.

I hope my executive decision doesn't let the team down.

It's not hard to throw a weak pitch; my arm and shoulder are killing me at this point. I'm going to need ice it when this is all over.

Her bat makes direct but not good contact with the ball and, as predicted, it only flies a few feet before rolling along the ground at high speeds.

I dive for the ball and stop it as it passes the pitcher's mound.

I've got it.

My head is throbbing and my ears are ringing, the adrenaline completely taking over my body. I turn onto my side and hastily toss the ball to Temari on second.

She catches it, gets the muscular girl out, and then whips it to first.

The girl on first is crouched, her glove open and ready.

The runner is speedy and this is getting so close that I can barely stand it. My heart is beating wildly and I'm nervous for the player on first base. The whole game is riding on her shoulders now.

Temari's throw makes its way into her glove and she turns to tag the runner.

The small girl slides, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. I strain to see what's happening, the anticipation making my stomach do flips.

The dust cloud slowly dissipates, and... Wait. Wait.

Our first base-player is touching the girl with the ball. Her leg is extended but fell just short of getting to the base in time.

She's out. _She's out_!

We won!

"Konoha University wins!" The announcer cries, his excitement audible.

It's hard to contain my squeal of joy, so I don't hold back. I run over to first base with the rest of the Konoha team, cheering loudly.

The audience is going absolutely wild and their cheers have grown to a deafening roar. Pretty impressive for a small crowd, if you ask me.

The whole team is hugging the girl and cheering and I join in. The happiness is short-lived, and though I'm ecstatic that we won, I can't help but feel nervous to confront this relationship issue.

If Lee is out there watching, then that means we're not over yet and we'll need to work things out. I can deal with that. I'm afraid to look because I don't want to find out that he's not there.

The team goes to the dugout and begins packing up their equipment. They'll probably want to go get a celebration dinner, but I'm not in the mood anymore.

I'm glad my relationship anxiety waited until after the game to fully catch up with me.

Now I'm shaking, trying to put my things in my bag without outwardly showing how upset and nervous I am. I'm failing miserably at hiding it. I know you can see the distress written all over my face.

I don't say anything else to my teammates because I don't trust myself to keep a steady voice. I pick up my bag and leave the dugout. This is the moment of truth and I know I have to look at the stands. If Lee came to the game, then he'll be there waiting for me.

I sigh and turn to look, my eyes scouring the stands in hope.

I want to see his goofy haircut and his dark eyes looking out at me. I want to see that horrible green track suit and those orange leg warmers that he sometimes wears.

But I see nothing but empty stands.

He isn't here.

My heart sinks and I feel sick. Well, clearly he made his mind up about us.

Tears well up in the corners of my eyes, a heavy guilty pang in my chest. Our fight was stupid and insignificant and I shouldn't have blown up on him like that. I want him back, I want him by my side. I don't care about whatever made me mad because the fear of losing him is so much greater.

I sniffle and attempt to keep the tears from leaking out of my eyes. I can't cry yet; not until I get back to my room. I turn and walk away, covering my face with my hands.

"Why are you crying, beautiful?"

I look up, my heart beating ten times faster than before. That voice...

My eyes widen at the sight.

It's Lee, standing there in a green Konoha University t-shirt and a pair of shorts. He looks concerned.

"Lee..." I cry breathlessly, launching myself at him. I nearly knock him over with the force of my embrace, but he stands his ground and puts an arm around me and begins rubbing my back softly.

My tears spill out and over my cheeks, leaving wet spots on the shoulder of his shirt. I clutch him close, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt.

"You made it..." I whisper, my voice full of relief. It feels unreal that he just appeared there, but I won't question it. He's here and I'm in his arms and that's all I care about right now.

"Did you really think I would miss your game?" He asks, resting a cheek against my head. He's taller than I am, but not by a whole lot. When I hug him like this, the top of my head meets him about mid-cheek. I'm at eye level with his neck.

I pull back and look at him. It's hard to see him through the haze of tears. "Well, after what I said to you..." I say.

He pulls away from the hug and gives me a sad, serious look. "You mean far too much to me, Tenten," he says. He's had one hand hidden behind his back this entire time and he's just now bringing it forward.

My eyes widen at the sight.

Flowers. He brought me flowers.

I'm not usually one for sappy romantic things, and Lee loves doing cheesy things for me. I am more than willing to forgive him for it this time.

"You're the best, Lee."

He pulls me into another hug and I just know that everything is okay.

* * *

><p><strong>Next one up is chapter 11: Neji. I should be updating as soon as possible! I know you guys haven't heard much from Neji yet, and like in the real series, he's often busy with his responsibilities.<strong>

**-Gallade**


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